Cypripedium montanum
Cypripedium candidum
mountain lady slipper, mountain lady's-slipper, white lady's-slipper
small white lady's slipper, white lady's-slipper
4–6, inserted toward base or scattered along stem, alternate, erect, ascending, or spreading;
blade suborbiculate or broadly ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, 3.3–17 × 2.5–9.5 cm.
3–4(–5), on proximal or middle portion of stem, alternate, erect-ascending;
blade lanceolate or elliptic to oblanceolate, 7–20 × 0.9–5.3 cm.
1–3;
sepals greenish, suffused, often heavily, with reddish brown or madder, or rarely clear green;
dorsal sepal lance-acuminate to elliptic-lance-acuminate, 33–60 × 8–16 mm;
lateral sepals connate;
synsepal 30–60 × 6–18 mm;
petals spreading-deflexed, same color as sepals, spirally twisted, linear to linear-lanceolate, 36–77 × 3–5 mm;
lip white, rarely suffused with magenta, obovoid or oblance-ovoid to oblance-fusiform, 19–33 mm;
orifice basal, 13–22 mm;
staminode lanceoloid to broadly ovoid or ellipsoid-ovoid.
1(–2);
sepals green to pale brownish yellow, usually spotted and striped with reddish brown or madder;
dorsal sepal ovate to ovate-lance-acuminate, 15–35 × 7–13 mm;
lateral sepals connate;
synsepal 13–35 × 7–15 mm;
petals spreading to somewhat deflexed, same color as sepals, spirally twisted or spiral-undulate, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 23–46 × 3–5 mm;
lip white, obovoid or oblance-ovoid to oblance-fusiform, 17–27 mm;
orifice basal, 10–15 mm;
staminode lanceoloid or oblong-lanceoloid to ellipsoid.
= 20.
Cypripedium montanum
Cypripedium candidum
Plants of Cypripedium montanum grown in exposed, relatively sunny situations have the ascending leaves inserted along the basal portion of the stem and the flowers displayed well above the leaves. In shadier, especially sheltered sites, the spreading leaves may be more evenly scattered along the stem. In this species the apical margin of the orifice of the lip is usually acute, in common with C. candidum, and in contrast to the usually obtuse margin in C. parviflorum; this difference can aid determination of discolored herbarium specimens. Hybrids of C. montanum and C. parviflorum have been designated C. ×columbianum Sheviak. See 11. C. parviflorum for a general discussion of hybridization and variation within and between related species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Cypripedium candidum begins blooming while the shoots are still emerging from the soil; at that time they are small, with the leaves clustered near the base. The plants enlarge greatly during and after anthesis, and the leaves may assume a more median position. The orifice of the lip in C. candidum is distinctive, the apical margin forming an acute angle. This feature is shared with C. montanum and differs from the commonly obtuse margin in C. parviflorum; hence, it can aid determination of discolored herbarium specimens. Hybrids of C. candidum and C. parviflorum have been designated C. ×andrewsii A. M. Fuller. See 11. C. parviflorum for a general discussion of hybridization and variation within and between related species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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