Showy Lady's Slipper
cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/507709
Minnesota's state flower! Took this on a recent trip to the Arboretum
Looks like one of those carnivorous plants. Does it serve any purpose for the plant to look like this?
Good question! I did a quick search and found this:
The slipper-shaped lip of the flower serves as a trap for pollinating insects, forcing insect visitors to climb past the reproductive structures and deposit or receive pollinia (pollen masses) to fertilize the flower.
nice. Sounds similar to some flowers with nectar deep inside so that the bees have to get pollen all over them by reaching deep inside.
Gorgeous!
What a beauty!
Beautiful. The lady slipper orchids are some of my favorite. My dad and I would go orchids hunting and it was always a special experience to find them. We found yellow and pink lady slipper but never showy.