Cypripedium guttatum Sw.

Spotted Lady's Slipper

Habit: Cypripedium guttatum. ~ By Marilyn Barker. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~ ~ U. of Alaska

Leaves: Cypripedium guttatum. ~ By Marilyn Barker. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~ ~ U. of Alaska

Flowers: Cypripedium guttatum. ~ By Mark Larocque. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

Flowers: Cypripedium guttatum. ~ By Marilyn Barker. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~ ~ U. of Alaska

Inflorescences: Cypripedium guttatum. ~ By Marilyn Barker. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~ ~ U. of Alaska

Protocorm: Cypripedium guttatum. ~ By Thomas P. Madsen. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

Facts About

Accepted Synonyms: Cypripedium bouffordianum, Cypripedium calceolus var. variegatum, Cypripedium orientale, Cypripedium variegatum

Cypripedium guttatum, commonly known as the Spotted Lady's Slipper, is widely distributed across Asia and found in Alaska, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories, where it grows in moist to dry open deciduous and spruce forests, slopes and banks, tundra, and meadows. This distinctive orchid has a flower with purple spots and blotches on the sepals, petals and pouch-like labellum. C. × alaskanum has flowers with splotches of yellow-brown, and is recognized as a hybrid between C. guttatum and C. yatabeanum. This natural hybrid is found on the Alaska Peninsula and in coastal southcentral Alaskan bogs.

Cypripedium guttatum is considered globally secure.

Pollination

Pollinator information for this orchid has not been reported in North America but in other parts of it range this orchid is pollinated by various Lasioglossum bees. This orchid forms a natural hybrid, C. × alaskanum, with Cypripedium yatabeanum, which suggests these two species share a common insect pollinator on the Alaska Peninsula and in coastal southcentral Alaskan bogs.

Ecosystem Type

Alpine or subalpine zones, cliffs balds or ledges, floodplains, forests, meadows, tundra, woodlands

Characteristics

Habitat:: terrestrial

Leaf arrangement:: alternate

Number of leaves on stem:: two

Form of the labellum:: the labellum is pouch-like

Labellum outline:: the labellum is simple

Main color of labellum:

blue to purple
white

Nectar spur:: absent

Inflorescence type:: the inflorescence has one flower or a pair of flowers

Labellum characteristics:

the labellum is saccate
the labellum is simple

Labellum length:: 15–30 mm

Sepal length:: 12–28 mm

Plant height:: 12–35 cm

Show All Characteristics

Flowers
Floral bract length:

Up to 30 mm
Flower petal color:
pink

purple

white
Flower symmetry:

the flower is zygomorphic
Flowering date:
June

July
Flowers per inflorescence:

1

Form of the labellum:

the labellum is pouch-like

Hairs on flower stalk:

N/A

Inflorescence length:

120–280 mm

Inflorescence type:

the inflorescence has one flower or a pair of flowers

Inflorescence width:

60–190 mm
Labellum characteristics:
the labellum is saccate

the labellum is simple
Labellum length:

15–30 mm

Labellum outline:

the labellum is simple

Labellum position:

the flowers are resupinate

Lower petal strongly red-veined:

no
Main color of labellum:
blue to purple

white
Nectar spur:

absent

Nectar spur length:

anything

Number of stamens:

2

Orientation of side petals:

the lateral petals are spreading

Pollen sacs:

the pollinia eventually fragment into smaller parts

Self-pollinating flowers:

there are no cleistogamous flowers

Sepal length:

12–28 mm

Sepals fused only to sepals:

the sepals are fused to each other (not other flower parts), at least near their bases

Spots on labellum:

yes
Growth form
Plant height:

12–35 cm

Roots:

the rhizomes are non-coralloid
Underground organs:
the plant has one or more swollen storage organs underground, such as bulbs, tubers or corms

this plant has a rhizome
myco-heterotrophic or not:

the plant is chlorophyllous
Leaves
Bract relative length:

bracts may be variable, both longer and shorter than the flower

Features of leaves:

the leaf is ribbed

Leaf arrangement:

alternate

Leaf blade edges:

the leaf edges are entire

Leaf blade length:

50–150 mm

Leaf blade length to width ratio:

1.9–3.3
Leaf blade shape:
elliptic

ovate
Leaf blade tip:

the tip of the leaf blade is acute

Leaf blade width:

15–80 mm

Leaves during flowering:

leaves are present during flowering

Number of leaves on stem:

two
Place
Ecosystem type:
alpine or subalpine zones

cliffs balds or ledges

floodplains

forests

meadows

tundra

woodlands
Habitat:

terrestrial
Location:
Alaska

Northwest Territories

Yukon
Facts and Uses

Mycorrhiza

Monitoring

Propagation

Restoration

Native to North America

Yes

North American Conservation Status & Distribution

Conservation Status

	Conservation and Wetland Status
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure

	Conservation status for: Alaska
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Alaska Rank	Secure
Alaska Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	N/A

	Conservation status for: Northwest Territories
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Northwest Territories Rank	Secure
Northwest Territories Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	N/A

	Conservation status for: Yukon
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Yukon Rank	State Rare
Yukon Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	N/A

North America Distribution

Adapted from USDA data

Facts About

Pollination

Ecosystem Type

Characteristics

Flowers

Growth form

Leaves

Place

Facts and Uses

Native to North America

North American Conservation Status & Distribution

Conservation Status

North America Distribution