Cypripedium montanum
Douglas ex Lindley
Mountain Lady's-slipper

Location Alberta, British Columbia
Specific Habitat

High elevations and moist evergreen woods, also on rocky, shrubby areas growing with a variety of alpine flowers such as Indian paintbrush.
There are five colonies in the foothills of southwestern Alberta and in the mountains of southern British Columbia

Flowering SeasonJune to July (as early as May in California).
Description

Ht. to 60cm., leaves four-six; flowers usually two on the upper part of the stem; sepals and petals brownish purple; lateral sepals joined almost to the apex; petals narrow and twisted; lip about three cm. in length, white, veined with purple.

Comments

A tall, husky plant, a faint perfume given off by the flower.
Can be distinguished from C. candidum (small white lady's-slipper) by its much longer sepals, which exceed the lip in length. Confined to northwestern regions from southern Alaska to northern California, growing at moderately high altitudes.

References

Guide to Orchids of North America
Native Orchids of the United States and Canada

HabitatPlantFlower

© Royal Botanical Gardens, Dr. Donald Gunn Image Collection.