Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Cypripedium reginae
Showy lady's-slipper orchid
Taxonomy

Synonyms:

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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Click map to view & download detailed occurrence records

More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: State Endangered

Notes:

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Monocot, perennial

Roots: adventitious, fibrous

Shoots: alternate leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; Parallel leaf venation; lanceolate leaf shape

Inflorescence: solitary

Flowers: perfect; 3 merous; complete, irregular; red, white; epigynous ovary position

Fruit: capsule

Physiology: autotrophic; C3 C02 fixation

Reproduction: sexual

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Once found in all the above areas-now only in fens in state nature preserves. Especially in moist crevices & seepage of the lower half of mainly north- facing limestone bluffs bordering canyons and narrow cool valleys along small streams; wet calcareous meadows; preference for areas with Rhus vernix; hanging fens of Illinois river valley; light shade to full sun; swale margins and moist flats near Chicago.

ILPIN Notes: Muenscher, W.C. 1975. Poisonous plants of the United States. Can be grown in wildflower gardens in somewhat drier situations but grows best with moisture. Foliage & stems with glandular hairs that may cause dermatitis like poison ivy. Sepals and petals, white; lip streaked with pink Only in northern half of Illinois.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators: insect, bee
  • Dispersal: wind
  • Mycorrhizae: endomycorrhizal, obligate
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers: high

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 10
  • Chicago Area: 10

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