Cypripedium
calceolus, tikankontti
In Finland Cypripedium calceolus has mainly spread to Kuusamo, Oulu
and Kemi area, where it is not even too rare. There are other findings
from other places of Finland, too, like from Tampere, Hyvinkää
and Ahvenanmaa. It grows in woods and on woody marshes. It reguirse lime.
Cypripedium is protected in whole Finland, including Ahvenanmaa. 
This is the largest-flowered member of Finnish flora right after Nymphaea-spp.
The flower is abou 10 cm accross. The lip, which is shaped like a bucket,
is yellow, other pwtals and sepals are brownish red. It grows in clumps.
Cypripedium flowers in June. Sometimes flowers don´t open
before Mid-Summer, but sometimes they wither well before that time. There
is usually one flower per stem, sometimes two and very rarely even three.
This species does not vary a lot, but some variations are known from Finland, too, such as plants with green flowers.
The
pollination of this species is well-known. Bee lands to the flowers, when
it drops into the hole of the lip. It can only escape from the from a small
hole at the back of the lip. When the bee is growling to freedom, it pollinates
the flower!
In nature, complicate way is seldom the best way, and Cypripediums
flowers does not usually pollinate very well. Fortunately there is huge
amounts of seeds in a single bod. Previously it was thought that it takes
17 years until Cypripedium can flower, but now 5 or 8 years is thought
to be closer to trueth.
