Calypso bulbosa

Calypso bulbosa, also known as the fairy slipper or Venus's slipper, is a perennial species of orchid native to the cooler regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. It is the only species currently classified in the genus Calypso, which takes its name from the Greek signifying concealment, as it tends to favor sheltered and obscured habitats.

Description

The Calypso bulbosa is a small orchid, typically reaching only 10 to 15 cm in height. It is characterized by a single, glossy, round leaf that emerges from the bulb in the spring. The leaf is usually partially buried in the ground and is often withered by the time the flower blooms. The flower is pink to purple in color, with a pouch-like lip adorned with darker spots. The sepals and petals are slender and twisted, forming a hood over the lip.

Habitat and Distribution

Calypso bulbosa is found in a variety of habitats, from coniferous forests to cool, shady areas in the mountains. It is a circumboreal species, found across the northern hemisphere, including parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. In North America, it is found from Alaska to Newfoundland, and south to northern California and the Rocky Mountains.

Conservation

Due to its specific habitat requirements and the impact of human activities such as logging and land development, Calypso bulbosa is considered at risk in some parts of its range. In several U.S. states, it is listed as threatened or endangered.

Cultivation

Cultivation of Calypso bulbosa is considered difficult due to its specific symbiotic relationship with a soil fungus, which makes it challenging to reproduce the conditions it needs to grow in a typical garden setting.

References

• Flora of North America
• Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East