Lady’s Slipper Orchid

Lady’s Slipper Orchid

Why in News? 

Recently in Britain, an extremely rare flower called the “Lady’s Slipper Orchid”, which was considered missing from the wild for nearly 100 years, has been found naturally growing again in the forests.

• In 1930, a single plant was found in a remote location in the Yorkshire Dales, which was kept under continuous monitoring and conservation.
• Afterwards, a campaign was launched to revive the species of this flower.
• This work involved organizations such as the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England, Kew Gardens, the National Trust, and many other institutions.
• In 2023, the trust received a government grant, which enabled them to prepare plants and plant them at three new sites. In 2024, at one of these sites, an orchid started to grow naturally.

What is Lady’s Slipper Orchid?

• Lady’s Slipper Orchid is a type of flower belonging to the Cypripedioideae subfamily of the Orchid family, known for its unique structure, form, and pollination process.
• The most prominent feature of the Lady’s Slipper Orchid is its slipper-shaped lip (labellum). This lower petal is specially developed to look like a pouch or slipper.
• Most Lady’s Slipper Orchids develop from underground rhizomes along with fibrous root systems.
• These plants are mostly terrestrial, but some species are found growing on trees (epiphytic) or rocks (lithophytic).
• The flowers of these plants have two fertile anthers, whereas most orchids have only one.
• Due to having two fertile anthers, Lady’s Slipper Orchids are called “diandrous.”

Classification, Distribution, and Ecology of Lady’s Slipper Orchid

• Classification:

• • Lady’s Slipper Orchid belongs to the Cypripedioideae subfamily.
    This subfamily includes five major genera—

• Cypripedium
• Mexipedium
• Paphiopedilum
• Phragmipedium
• Selenipedium

• There are approximately 165 species in these genera. This orchid is recognized for its distinctive slipper-like labellum.

• Geographical Distribution:

• • • The species of Cypripedioideae subfamily are distributed worldwide.
    • Cypripedium is mainly found in the cold and temperate regions of North America, Europe, and Asia.
    • Mexipedium is a unique genus with only one species, found exclusively in a limited region of Mexico.
    • Paphiopedilum species thrive in the tropical forests spread across Southeast Asia.
    • The genera Phragmipedium and Selenipedium are predominantly native to Central and South American forests.
    • This orchid subfamily does not naturally occur in Australia or Africa.
    • Within India, the primary genera of Lady’s Slipper Orchids are Cypripedium and Paphiopedilum.
      • They mostly occur in the Himalayan states like Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and the Northeast hill regions.

• Ecology:

• • Lady’s Slipper Orchids mainly grow in moist, shady, and cool climate forests.
  • They require humus-rich, well-drained soil for growth.
  • The cool climate and forests of the Himalayas provide a suitable habitat for them.

Characteristics of Lady’s Slipper Orchid

• Structure:
  • Lady’s Slipper Orchids are mostly perennial herbs with a herbaceous nature.
  • Their roots are fleshy, sometimes with an outer sheath.
  • Leaves are arranged either in a spiral or in two rows.
  • The shoot is slender or compressed, and the leaf blades are plicate (folded).
  • There is no clear boundary tissue between the leaf and shoot, distinguishing it from other plants.
• Inflorescence:
  • The flowers of Lady’s Slipper Orchids are terminal and mostly unbranched.
  • Their flowers grow arranged either spirally or aligned in two neat rows along the stem.
  • Petals occur in two whorls, with two petals of the outer whorl often completely fused.
  • The flower’s distinctive feature is its labellum, which forms a pouch resembling a small slipper.
• Pollination:
  • The flowers of these plants have two fertile anthers, whereas most orchids have only one.
  • Pollen grains stick together forming a paste. 
  • The style is short and thick, while the stigma is large and convex.
  • The stigma’s central lobe is larger than the side lobes, which aids in effective pollination.
• Chromosomes:
  • The seeds are tiny and flattened. These are approximately 1 millimeter in length and 0.1 millimeter in width.
  • Some species like Selenipedium have lens-shaped seeds with a hard coat.
  • Chromosome numbers vary by species, such as 20 in Cypripedium and 26 to 44 in Paphiopedilum.

Reasons for the Extinction of Lady’s Slipper Orchid

• Overcollection: A major reason for the decline in the number of Lady’s Slipper Orchids is its excessive collection. People have collected it extensively for its beauty and medicinal properties, leading to a rapid decrease in its natural habitats.
• Medicinal Use: Parts of this plant are used in traditional medicine, which also puts it at risk. Often, the plant is uprooted without proper control, making its regrowth difficult.
• Habitat Loss: Deforestation, changes in land use, and environmental changes have seriously affected its natural habitat. The reduction in moist and shaded areas has decreased its chances of survival.
• Difficulty in Cultivation: Growing Lady’s Slipper Orchid is not easy. It requires special types of soil and fungi that are not readily available under normal conditions. Therefore, attempts to replant it have often failed.

Conservation of Lady’s Slipper Orchid

• Status:
  • Lady’s Slipper Orchid is listed internationally in CITES Appendices I and II to prevent illegal trade.
  • Additionally, it is classified as Critically Endangered or Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
  • In India, it is protected under Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
  • There are legal provisions in India against damaging or illegally collecting this plant.
• Efforts:
  • Modern techniques like tissue culture are being used to increase the population of this plant.
  • This technique helps in the rapid growth and restoration of plants.

Simultaneously, efforts are ongoing to restore its natural habitat so that the plant can survive safely.