CYPRIPEDIUM 



CyPEIPfiDIUM {Venus' slipper}. Lady's Slipper. 

 Moccasin Flower. Orchiddcew , tribe ('iiiiriprilim . 

 The genus Cypripeduim is widely distributci 1 , 1 M i 1 1 ir f o u I H I 

 in both South and North America, Asia, Euimih-. .1;i|i;iii. 

 and tlie Malay Archipelago. At present no s|>ecies are 

 reported from Australia or Africa. Scapes usually 1-fld. : 

 floral segments fleshy: upper sepal usually larger than 

 the petals: ovary 1-celled: fertile stamens 2: interme- 

 diate stamen sterile and petaloideous : i-ciliiimi short, cer- 

 nuate: apex trifld: lateral lobes antlin- l.(;iriiiLc: pollen 

 viscid or mealy, not compound: stigiiKi deltoid, en front 

 of column beneath the stamens: capsule sIcndtT, jiubes- 

 cent: placentation parietal: the lower sepals cciimiiciiily 

 coalescent: labellum cup-form, inflated: Ivs. usmdiy lig- 

 ulate, either tessellated or uniform green. The structure 

 of the column (or essential organs) of a Cypripedium is 

 shown in Fig. 642. The two anthers are at a a. The third 

 stamen is represented by the body, h. The stigma is ate. 

 The floral envelopes are torn away beneath. The ma- 

 jority of Cypripediums grow well, and increase in value 

 from year to year. They do not require a period of rest 

 like species of Cattleya. The hardy species, such as 

 C. acaule and C. pubescens, are well worthy of a place in 

 gardens. C. spectabile, for color and form, ranks among 

 the finest species. It is a valuable orchid for forcing in 

 the greenhouse. As yet, no hybrids have resulted from 

 the intercrossing of our native Cypripediums. Inter- 

 crossing of tropical with hardy species has proved fruit- 

 leas. There is a tendency to resolve Cypripedium into 

 several genera. For the purposes of this work the 

 old classification will be observed. 



The genus is closelv akin to Selenipedium, which see 

 for O. candatiim, ('.'p,il,inf,,lhiiii. <'. Uavhi, C. Lhul- 

 leyanum, C. Sunii uliiniuiii , ('. Si-hliniii, C. Srhonihin-'l- 

 kiiinum,C.vitl,ilNi,i.:uu\ the like. See, als... J/,.i,ll,li,: . 

 Selenipediura differs from Cypripedium in liaving a 

 3-loculed and 3-ribbed ovary. Figs. 643 and 644 con- 

 trast some of the structural points in the two genera. 

 The genus Cypripedium is naturally not a large one. Ben- 

 tham and Hooker think that the species are less than 40. 

 The species have been much hybridized and modified 

 by cultivation, however, so that the garden forms are 

 legion. Most of the names represent horticultural vari- 

 eties; and these names may be expected to increase. One 

 section of the genus has been separated recently as a 

 genus, Paphiopediliim. Monogr. of Cypripedium and 

 related genera by F. Desbois, Ghent, 1898. 



Oakes Ames. 



Nearly all Cypripediums are of easy culture and may 

 be readily grown in one department, by devoting the 

 cooler portion to C. barbatum, C. insigne, C. Javanieum, 

 C. venustnm and the Selenipedium group. The coria- 

 ceous-leaved evergreen species are all in more or less 



CYPRIPEDIUM 



431 



642. Structure of column of Cypripedii 

 C. Dormanii 



(XK). 



active growth the year round; therefore a liberal supply 

 of water must be given at all seasons, ouly allowing the 

 compost to become dry occasionally to prevent stagnation. 

 Light syringing should be frequent in bright weather, 

 and an application of weak liquid manure once or twice 



a week will be found of great assistance to keep the 

 plants in health. The hygrometer should never register 

 below 60, nor often above 80, as moisture in excess of 80 is 

 liable to damp-off the young growths. Ventilation reg- 



643. Cypripedium Charlesworthii. 



Shows section of ovary; of labellum or lip on the right; stigma 



on the left ; column on the right below. 



ulated according to external conditions is essential at all 

 times to maintain atmospheric action. 



During the winter months the thennometer should 

 register from 60° F. to 65° F. by night and about 70° P. by 

 day. With sun heat a few degrees more will do no harm. 

 On the approach of spring the temperature should be 

 advanced to prepare the plants for summer heat, and ac- 

 cordingly decreased on the approach of fall. About the 

 middle of February a light shading will be necessary to 

 prevent excessive heat and sunburn, with heavier shad- 

 ing toward midsummer, this to be gradually removed in 

 the fall and entirely dispensed with durint; the winter. 



The greater part of the species grow best in pots in a 

 compost of two parts peat-fiber to one part chopped liv- 

 ing sphagnum moss, one-half of the pot room being de- 

 voted to clean drainage. The compost should be pressed 

 in rather firmly about the roots, and the surface left 

 convex to discard surplus water and to insure the base 

 of the plant against decay during dull weather. A few 

 heads of living moss pricked in over the surface will 

 give a neat appearance. 



Cypripedium insigne and kindred species should have 

 one-third chopped sod added to the above mixture (see 

 note on culture in Veitch's Orchid Manual 2: 34 1. 

 C. viUosum and C. Exul sometimes suffer under pot cul- 

 ture from fungi, which attack the base of the plant dur- 

 ing sultry summer weather. Basket culture will obviate 

 this, as it allows a better circulation of air through the 

 compost. C. Loivei, C. Parishii, C. PhUi pp'nii-}t^e 

 and allied species, together with Seleniprdimn cm- 

 datum, are truly epiphytic and preferably shciild be 

 grown in baskets. By this method the roots are better 

 preserved and less liable to decay during the winter 

 season. 



