Cypripedium passerinum (Franklin's / Sparrow's Egg Lady's Slipper) - photos and description
General: Erect plants, with leafy somewhat weak stems. Foliage pubescent.
Flowers: Solitary flowers have a pouch-like lower lip, which is bright white with a few purple spots. We measured flowers to 15 mm long. The flower's two lateral petals are white, the dorsal (upper) sepal almost completely covers the opening in the lower lip. The lower sepals are united under the lip.
Leaves: Leaves are alternate, oblanceolate to elliptical, clasp the stem, alternate, pointed at apex. We measured a leaf at 11 cm long and 3 cm wide.
Height: Height listed in Flora of Alberta to 25 cm, we've measured plants to 39 cm tall.
Habitat: Moist, mossy woods in the boreal forest and Cypress Hills.
Abundance: Rare, ranked as an S3 (as of 2021) by the Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre.
Origin: Native.
When and where photographed: The above photos were taken June 22nd, June24th, and June 30th moist, mossy spruce woods, boreal forest, central Saskatchewan. The best time to find them flowering is usually late June / July 1st.