Cypripedium japonicum




Family Orchidaceae
Subfamily Cypripedioideae (also placed in Cypripediaceae)
Tribe Cypripedieae
Subtribe Cypripediinae
Scientific name Cypripedium japonicum Thunberg
Synonyms Cypripedium cathayenum S.S.Chien, Cypripedium japonicum Thunberg var. glabrum M.Suzuki
Common name (Japanese common name) kumagai-so (クマガイソウ, 熊谷草 [meaning: Kumagai's weed (Kumagai = Kumagai Naozane = a famous samurai in medieval Japan)])
(English common name) Japanese Cypripedium
Distribution (Japan) Hokkaido (Southwestern region), Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu
(Other nations) Korea, China
Habitat Mountane coniferous or bamboo forest
Chromosomal number unknown
Description Plants 20-40cm tall. Leaves 10-22cm across. Flowers single, ca. 10cm across, flowering in April to May. Terrestrial. Perennial plants.
Reference Cypripedium japonicum Thunb. 1784
Cypripedium japonicum Thunb.
The evolutionary history of mycorrhizal specificity among Lady's Slipper Orchid
Note Rare species



May 2006
at my home



April 2006
at Tsukuba Botanical Garden
April 2006
at Tsukuba Botanical Garden
April 2006
at Tsukuba Botanical Garden



May 2009
at Karuizawa Botanical Garden






Variety of Flowers



April 2009
at a Nursery