LORI DUNN SCRATCHBOARD ART
promoting conservation through artistic efforts
Pair Of Queens
8 x 8
SOLD
This piece is a companion to my recent botanical "Pair Of Jacks" (jack in the pulpit plant) and features the spectacular Queens lady's- slipper orchid (Cypripedium reginae) or showy lady's slipper orchid. This plant is critically imperiled throughout much of its range in North America. I am fortunate to have a few stands of it near my home and I look forward to the blooms every year which coincide with the summer solstice.
Growing in alkaline fens and white cedar bogs, these plants are slow to mature, taking over 8 years from seed to flower - a fact that likely has contributed to its decline. Misguided plant enthusiasts make the attempt to dig up and transplant these orchids, and these attempts are usually followed by failure. This species is incredibly difficult to propagate, as their root system relies on a type of fungus to extract water and nutrients. Due to their sensitive nature and rare status, these plants should be left alone in their wild habitat.
The term lady's-slipper comes from the distinctive flower shape resembling that of a moccasin. The shape allows for wandering insects to be funneled into the flower past the reproductive organs where pollination can occur. I have seen these plants browsed by deer, and in fact, this is yet another cause for their demise in areas where deer populations are high. This artwork was rendered using two reference photographs and was as much of a joy to create as it was viewing these beautiful flowers.
