Cypripedium

Cypripedium L., Sp. Pl.: 951 (1753).

Distribution: Temp. & Subalpine. Northern Hemisphere to C. America

Common names: slipper orchids, Lady's Slippers, mocassin flowers, camel's foot, squirrel foot, steeple cap, Venus' shoes and whippoorwill shoes

Abbreviation: Cyp.

Cypripedium is a genus of 47 species from the subtribe Cypripediinae.

Its members are terrestrial hardy orchids that grow primarily in colder climates of the Northern Hemisphere, in North America, Europe, and Asia. Some grow in the tundra in Alaska and Siberia, which is an unusually cold habitat for orchids. They can withstand extreme cold, growing under the snow and blooming when the snow melts. But, in the wild, most have become rare and close to extinction, due to an ever shrinking natural habitat and overcollection. In the late 20th century, only a single plant of Cypripedium calceolus survived in Britain.