It has only been a few years since I first saw one of these, but now spring just wouldn’t be the same for me without them.
The Calypso orchid or Fairyslipper (Calypso bulbosa).
To be able to grow at all, Calypso orchids need a particular mycorrhizal fungus in the soil to provide sugars and minerals necessary for them to sprout and therefore they can only be found where this fungus is available. To me this is an excellent illustration of the interdependence between life forms and an example of the necessity of maintaining sufficient habitat for natural biodiversity.
You found some!!! These are my very most favorite to find! I had a very small patch just off my property last year but not this year. Last week I found some on another path and my photos were terrible – I’m still trying to “get” the macro function of my camera and need to get my manual out!
Beautiful!!!
Comment by Ann from Montana — May 21, 2008 @ 8:35 pm
So far I’ve seen very few of them this year and these were by far the best. It was starting to look as though I had missed the ones at low elevations and would have to wait until it’s possible to get into the high country to find them.
Comment by montucky — May 21, 2008 @ 8:50 pm
Wow! Those fairies have some mighty fancy footwear. That’s a gorgeous little (I assume they’re little) orchid! Thanks so much for taking pictures for us!
Comment by Sara — May 22, 2008 @ 3:17 am
What a beautiful orchid! So different looking from anything that I’ve seen around here in the wild.
Comment by Janet Wilkins — May 22, 2008 @ 5:57 am
Yes, they’re tiny, Sara. The stems on these were about 4 inches and the blossom itself, about 1 inch long. Easy to overlook!
Comment by montucky — May 22, 2008 @ 6:53 am
Yes they’re certainly different, Janet. Their distribution does extend to the east coast, but north of you. Here I have seen them in many different locations, but very few in any one place. I think people mistake them at a glance for Shooting Stars because the color is similar.
Comment by montucky — May 22, 2008 @ 7:04 am
Actually, a lot of plants use the mycorrhizal fungus to increase their uptake of water and nutrients, especially nitrogen. A nice mutualistic, simbiotic relationship.
Comment by scienceguy288 — May 22, 2008 @ 7:29 am
Hey again! Yes, it is interesting that you mentioned that these orchids are here in New England too. I just looked them up but found, as you said, they are in northern New England. Topsfield is in central/southern New England.
I wanted to ask you something and sent an email message using the address from comments you’ve left on my blog. But, my email was “returned” as undeliverable.
Has your address really changed? If so, would you mind forwarding your new address to me via my email address? It would be greatly appreciated!
Comment by Janet Wilkins — May 22, 2008 @ 7:59 am
Science guy,
That is an example of the relationships that I’m so concerned about when I see so much of our remaining wild country being exploited and developed.
Comment by montucky — May 22, 2008 @ 8:01 am
Janet,
I just sent you an email to verify my address. My WordPress account does have the correct address though and the emails they send from the site always make it. One of those strange happenings in the cyber-world, I guess!
Comment by montucky — May 22, 2008 @ 8:20 am
Wow beautiful photos of this wonderful flower! Well done!
Comment by Adam R. Paul — May 22, 2008 @ 9:14 am
Thanks, Adam! These seemed to be excellent specimens; quite robust. I have only seen a couple others this year and they didn’t look good at all.
Comment by montucky — May 22, 2008 @ 5:59 pm
it is truly a fairy’s slipper – what a lovely color. and so detailed.
Comment by Bo — May 23, 2008 @ 7:02 am
Fascinating, aren’t they! I spend way too much time wondering just how that design evolved.
Comment by montucky — May 23, 2008 @ 7:15 am
pretty!
Comment by silken — May 23, 2008 @ 7:36 am
Beautiful shots… I can see why your so captivated with this little blossom I certainly would be if had I ever seen one!
Comment by aullori — May 23, 2008 @ 4:38 pm
I hope you will run into some! They are tiny, but elaborate.
Comment by montucky — May 23, 2008 @ 5:24 pm
[...] A very small foot to fit in this “slipper” – these are less than an inch. They are easy to miss in the woods as they are often bent downward so that only the purple “underside” is visible and looking very much like the back of a wood violet. They are my favorite thing to find. Montucky at Montana Outdoors has much better capture of these beauties: Calypso [...]
Pingback by From the Front Porch » Cinderellie, Cinderellie — May 29, 2008 @ 1:25 am