Lady's slipper orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lady's Slipper Orchids |
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Cypripedioideae
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Lady's slipper orchids are a special group of orchids that belong to the subfamily Cypripedioideae. They are famous for their unique, slipper-shaped pouches on their flowers. This pouch isn't just for looks; it's a clever trap! It helps the flower get pollinated by insects. The pouch traps insects, making them climb past special parts of the flower where they either pick up or drop off pollen. This process helps the flower make seeds.
Some scientists think this group of orchids is so unique that it should be its own family, called Cypripediaceae, instead of just a subfamily within the larger Orchidaceae family.
How Lady's Slippers Get Pollinated
Imagine a bee looking for nectar! When a bee crawls down into the deep, slipper-shaped pouch of a lady's slipper orchid, the opening closes behind it. The bee is now temporarily stuck inside!
As the bee wiggles and squirms, trying to find a way out, it gets covered in pollen. The bee eventually finds a small opening near the top of the orchid. It escapes, ready to visit another lady's slipper. When it enters a new flower, it will leave the pollen it collected on that flower's stigma, helping the second orchid get pollinated.
In the United States of America, the lady's slipper is also known as the moccasin flower. This is because its unique pouch looks a lot like a shoe or a moccasin.
Images for kids
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Pink lady's slippers in Nova Scotia, Canada
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Lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus)
See also
In Spanish: Cypripedioideae para niños
