Phragmipedium (Pfitzer) Rolfe

Lady Slipper

Greek phragma – partition; pedilon – slipper; an allusion to the 3-celled ovary and the slipper-like labellum.

Terrestrial or less often epiphytic or epilithic herbs, sympodial, with fibrous roots. Stems short, enclosed by leaf-bases. Leaves apical and lateral, 2-ranked, strap-like, leathery, persistent, green, stalkless. Inflorescences terminal racemes or panicles, erect. Flowers resupinate, 1-several, large, short-lived, variously coloured. Sepals dissimilar, dorsal free, laterals fused for their entire length. Petals usually longer than sepals, free, spreading or hanging. Labellum pouched in distal half, 3-lobed, margins curved in. Column short, with 2 fertile stamens and a fleshy staminodal plate at tip. Pollinia 2 per anther, granular.

About 20 species from Mexico, C and S America.

Pouched labellum resembling a slipper; lateral sepals completely fused; anthers 3, the middle one sterile; ovary 3-celled.

Hennesy et al. (1989), Cash (1991), McCook (1998).

Source: Jeanes, J. (2005). Orchidaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.

Hero image
kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Magnoliopsida
superorder     Lilianae
order      Asparagales
family       Orchidaceae
Higher taxa
Subordinate taxa