Orchidaceae

Cypripedium fasciculatum

Clustered Lady's-Slipper

Stem erect, hairy, bent above leaves. Leaf pair nearly opposite, sessile, oblong to oval, usually 1–3 in. long. Flowers 1–6, clustered above leaves, each on curved stem, with bracts as long as the densely fine-hairy ovary. Slipper large, all flower parts greenish brown or greenish purple with dark brown or purple veins and splotches. Dependent on mycorrhizal fungi in forest duff and upper soils throughout life. Grows in moist to dry, deeply shaded to partly shaded, mixed evergreen woods through mid elevations. Plants become very old in areas not disturbed, and any disturbance, including picking, can kill the plants outright.

• Rarity: Rare
• Flowering Time: Mid-Late Spring
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Height: 5--10 inches
• Habitat: West-Side Forest, East-Side Forest
• Found In: The Mountains Thoughout Our Region
• Native: Yes