Cypripedium passerinum Richardson

Sparrow's Egg Lady's Slipper

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

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

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

Fruits: Cypripedium passerinum. ~ By Marilyn Barker. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~ ~ U. of Alaska

Plant form: Cypripedium passerinum. ~ By Jim Fowler. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

Facts About

Accepted synonyms: Cypripedium passerinum var. minganense

Cypripedium passerinum, commonly known as the Sparrow's Egg Lady's Slipper, is found throughout the interior of Alaska, across Canada to Hudson Bay, and south to northern Montana. C. passerinum is pubescent, and produces one or two small flowers on a leafy stem. The small white flower has straight petals and a green dorsal sepal covering the egg-shaped labellum. Purple spots appear on the labellum's base, orifice, and interior wall. The green flower bract is prominent and upright. This orchid grows in moist coniferous forests, mixed woodlands, sphagnum bogs, thickets, stream banks, and lake margins.

Cypripedium passerinum is considered globally secure.

Pollination

Unlike other Lady's Slippers, This species is self-fertilizing and does not require a pollinator for reproduction. The stigma and anthers develop in such a way that they are in contact with each other.

Ecosystem Type

Bogs, floodplains, forests, shrublands or thickets, tundra, woodlands

Characteristics

Habitat:: terrestrial

Leaf arrangement:: alternate

Number of leaves on stem:

three
four
five

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

Labellum outline:: the labellum is simple

Main color of labellum:: 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:: 12–20 mm

Sepal length:: 15–20 mm

Plant height:: 12–50 cm

Show All Characteristics

Flowers
Floral bract length:

30–50 mm

Flower petal color:

white

Flower symmetry:

the flower is zygomorphic
Flowering date:
June

July

August
Flowers per inflorescence:

1

Form of the labellum:

the labellum is pouch-like

Hairs on inflorescence axis:

the inflorescence stem has at least some hairs with glands

Inflorescence length:

110–200 mm

Inflorescence type:

the inflorescence has one flower or a pair of flowers

Inflorescence width:

70–150 mm
Labellum characteristics:
the labellum is saccate

the labellum is simple
Labellum length:

12–20 mm

Labellum outline:

the labellum is simple

Labellum position:

the flowers are resupinate

Lower petal strongly red-veined:

no

Main color of labellum:

white

Nectar spur:

absent

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:

15–20 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:

12–50 cm

Roots:

the rhizomes are non-coralloid

Underground organs:

this plant has a rhizome

myco-heterotrophic or not:

the plant is chlorophyllous
Leaves
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:

3–3.3
Leaf blade shape:
elliptic

lanceolate

ovate
Leaf blade tip:

the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse

Leaf blade width:

15–50 mm

Leaves during flowering:

leaves are present during flowering
Number of leaves on stem:
three

four

five
Place
Ecosystem type:
bogs

floodplains

forests

shrublands or thickets

tundra

woodlands
Habitat:

terrestrial
Location:
Alaska

Alberta

British Columbia

Manitoba

Montana

Northwest Territories

Nunavut

Ontario

Quebec

Saskatchewan

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: Alberta
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Alberta Rank	Secure
Alberta Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	N/A

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

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

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

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

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

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

	Conservation status for: Yukon
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Yukon Rank	Secure
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