Calypso bulbosa

What a wonder to be hold, the fairy slipper orchid is a beautiful flower that can be found on the forest floor of conifer forests. The orchid is semi-parasitic, its roots rely on a particular fungus in the soil in order to survive. The fairy slipper is a circumpolar flower, found in North West United States, Canada, Scandinavia, Northern Finland, and Sweden. The orchid relys on deception in order to get pollinated, it has fake anthers that attract bees but does not provide them with nectar. The fairy slipper can grow to be 14 cm in height, and can bloom as early as March if weather permits, but usually do not bloom until June in its northern habitats. The flowers are pink with a spotting pattern on the petal, the lower petal is the largest. The stem is green and round with the leaves at the base. This flower is very sensitive to disturbances in its environment and is considered endangered in many of the United states, as well as Finland and Sweden. Thompson Indians use to chew and suck on the bulb or flower to help reduce seizures caused by epilepsy.


Resources:
http://www.alanbauer.com/images/Home/
http://www.mountainnature.com/plants/PlantsLatinNameResult.asp?ID=199+
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy_Slipper