# Awesome clump of Cyp. parviflorum in situ



## Paphluvr (May 28, 2014)

View attachment 9381
Went out today to check on some Cyp. parviflorum that I have been watching for several years. Found this clump that had about 18 flowers last year. As you can see, it didn't seem to suffer from the severe winter we had here in Michigan this past season.


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## tenman (May 29, 2014)

No pic.


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## NYEric (May 29, 2014)

That is a nice clump. Thanks for sharing.


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## Paphman910 (May 29, 2014)

Lovely!


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## eggshells (May 29, 2014)

Nice!


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## KyushuCalanthe (May 29, 2014)

Very nice clump of v. makasin. Wild plants don't get much better than this one. Any other Cyps in the vicinity? The habitat looks good for C. candidum.


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## MaryPientka (May 29, 2014)

Congrats! Lovely!


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## John M (May 29, 2014)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> Very nice clump of v. makasin. Wild plants don't get much better than this one. Any other Cyps in the vicinity? The habitat looks good for C. candidum.



What makes it "v. makasin" and not v. parviflorum?


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## theorchidzone (May 29, 2014)

Lovely.


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## KyushuCalanthe (May 30, 2014)

John M said:


> What makes it "v. makasin" and not v. parviflorum?


 
A good question. The easiest answer is that v. parviflorum isn't found in the Great Lakes region, being a plant of more southern woodlands and acidic soils. The classic v. makasin is small in stature, with dark and highly twisted sepals and petals, the flower has a very sweet odor, and it tends to grow in calcareous swamps and fens. Having said that, exactly what constitutes v. makasin across its broad range (from Alaska to Maine) is questionable such that some authorities don't consider it a valid name, going instead with v. parviflorum for the entire range of plants (except of course v. pubescens). Charles Sheviak of the New York State Museum is perhaps the biggest advocate for this variety while Phillip Cribb doesn't make that distinction, considering them all as v. parviflorum.

From the photo however, I would say that clump is the quintessential v. makasin based on plant and flower size, flower color and form, and also the grassy, swamp habitat. A beauty regardless.


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## monocotman (May 30, 2014)

Very nice whatever it is called!
David


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## Paphluvr (May 30, 2014)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> Very nice clump of v. makasin. Wild plants don't get much better than this one. Any other Cyps in the vicinity? The habitat looks good for C. candidum.


I've only found Cyp. candidum once here in Michigan and that was in the lower south-east portion of the state. I was trying to get a photo of some deer and in trying to position myself for a better shot walked into a field of 100's of Cyp. calceolus and one clump of Cyp. candidum (yes, I looked but that was all I could find). The habitat was very similar to where these were growing, basically a sloped, wet open meadow growing among a cover of grasses and other low-growing vegetation. Unfortunately, when I checked on it several years latter, the property had been developed and all the slippers were gone.

I agree that the habitat where these were growing should be conducive to Cyp. candidum, I just haven't found them yet. Of course, I don't get out into the field as much anymore as I used to (or would like to).


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## cnycharles (May 30, 2014)

Hmm, they do look very nice, but v. makasins I've seen in ny and vermont were small plants/flowers but somewhat tall and stringy for the plant size. In the pic though it's out in the open so it's probably compressed because of the light. It's silly to include all three species as one with 'varieties' because they all have different habitat, slightly different flowering times and different fragrances. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## phrag guy (May 31, 2014)

nice clump


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## Dido (Jun 1, 2014)

nice one would like to see it in nature


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## John M (Jun 1, 2014)

Thanks for the explanation, Tom.


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