Cypripedium acaule, (click here) commonly called Pink Lady's Slipper or Moccasin Flower, is widely distributed across the eastern United States and eastern to central Canada, from Alabama to the Northwest Territories. It produces 2 basal leaves and a solitary flower with purplish brown to green petals and sepals. The labellum is a distinctively inflated pouch, magenta to white, often light pink with darker pink venation; a slit with inwardly rolled edges marks the front of the labellum. It is found in forests and woodlands, often near pines or conifers, and occasionally in bogs or swamps.
Cypripedium acaule is considered globally secure, and is common throughout much of its range. It does, however, exhibit persistently low reproductive rates, caused in part by erratic flowering and infrequent pollination. It can be distinguished from other species with similarly pink flowers, such as C. arietinum and C. reginae, by its basal (instead of stem) leaves.
