Calypso bulbosa, the fairy slipper
If you had been walking along one of the park trails near Ladysmith (BC) on Saturday, you might have found a bit of an odd sight: a man lying on his stomach on the trail.
I don’t think anyone did see the sight, but I wouldn’t have noticed if they had. I was lying on my stomach on the trail, busily taking a photograph of these fairy-slipper orchids.
Calypso bulbosa has a widespread distribution across the temperate northern hemisphere, but it is becoming increasingly uncommon near populated centres, due to trampling, flower-picking and naive attempts at transplanting.
These two flowers are a touch past their prime; more recently-emerged flowers in the locale were a deeper shade of purple, much like the colour seen on this Calypso bulbosa photographed last year in Banff. I didn’t notice yellow in the throat of the flowers in the plants near Ladysmith, but that may have been carelessness of observation on my part.
Calypso was a nymph in Greek mythology; she delayed Odysseus from returning home for seven years.
Good job Daniel, very nice shot.
It was intersting to read your comment about being on your stomach to photograph Fairy slippers. I too photograph wildflowers and I too get down on my stomach. You have to with fairy slippers. A young girl walking down a mountain trail, about 7, saw me on my stomach…she ran back to her parents because she thought I was dead. Fairy slippers grow at 10,500 feet in the Sandia Mountains adjacent to Albuquerque, NM
Vic
Nice photographs! The Calypso has been one of my favourite wildflowers for years and I wrote about it in my book, “Flowers at my Feet” – Hancock House publishers – on the stories behind the names of many of our local wildflowers. There is also a trilogy of very good mystery tales, written by a Canadian author, Michelle Wan, recently involving wild orchids in France, which are well worth reading if you like civilised mysteries.
I was up in the rockies mountains of Alberta yesterday and took some great picts of the Calypso Bulbosa with the yellow center. They are one of God’s finer creations aren’t they? Can I send them to you?
I have seen these beautiful little flowers
in our park here in New Jersey. We have a swamp
trail boardwalk and as I’ve walked it, I have noticed these flowers and wondered what they were. I have seen them bloom every year for the last few years. Now I finally know what they are!