Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains
69. Orchidaceae, the Orchid Family
2. Cypripedium L. -- Ladyslipper2. Cypripedium candidum Muhl. -- White ladyslipper.
Stems 1.5-3 dm tall, glandular-hispid above. Leaves appressed-ascending, overlapping and strongly sheathing below, narrowly elliptic, 5-13 cm long, 2-4 cm wide, acute, sparsely glandular-pubescent, reduced to sheathing scales toward the base of the stem. Flowers 1 per stem, the subtending leaflike bract erect, 3-6 cm long; sepals and lateral petals greenish, usually purple-striate, sepals 1.5-3 cm long, the upper sepal ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, the lateral sepals connate below the lip with a slightly bidentate tip; lateral petals linear-lanceolate, acute to attenuate, sometimes twisted, 1.5-3.5 cm long; lip white with purple veins, 1.5-2 cm long; ovary densely glandular-pubescent, 1.5-4 cm long. Late May--Jun. Wet meadows and low prairie, where undisturbed; rare from e ND to e and c NE; (NY to s Man., s to PA, KY, MO and NE).
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