near the opening of the slipper. The lip has a large opening on the upper surface, which is enclosed by the curved margins of the lip. The two stamens block the lip opening at the base of the plant, and leave only two very small openings on each side of the column at the base (House 64). There is also a third sterile stamen present, which acts as a shield at the tip of the column (Rickett 94). The lip of the ladys slipper is thought to aid in pollination of the flower. Bees, as well as other insects, enter the lip by the upper opening on the side and feed upon the nectar found inside. When the time comes for the insect to exit the flower, they must crawl past the column, and in the process, take with them some of the sticky pollen masses from the two fertile stamens. Then as they visit another flower, this pollen may come in contact with the new flower (Walcott 20). The other flower parts of the ladys slipper include the stigma, which goes downward into the cavity of the lip; two lower sepals which are joined, giving the appearance of only two sepals; and a single green bract, similar to the foliage leave but smaller, which stand behind each flower (Rickett 96).Species of FamilyAs mentioned earlier there are several types of species of the genus Cypripedium. Several of these species include the Pink LadySlipper, the Yellow or Downy Ladys Slipper, the Showy Ladys Slipper, the Small White Ladys Slipper, and the Rams Head Ladys Slipper. The species differ according to where it is found, the position of the flower, the color of the flower, the size of the flower, and the parts of the flower.Cypripedium acaule One of the most common species of the ladys slipper is the Cypripedium acaule, or the Pink ladys slipper. The species name acaule is Latin for stem less, in reference to the leafless stem of this flower. This plant has a fibrous root system, two basal, pubescent leaves, and is 10-25 cm long. There is a solitary flower tha...
