This lovely little orchid grows in deep, mossy, coniferous woods to a height of from 4 to 8 inches. The Fairy Slipper produces a single round-oval basal leaf in the fall which lasts through to flowering time. In the spring, the underground bulb sends up a leafless scape (flowering stem directly from the ground), which bears a solitary flower at the top. The flower is similar in shape to a Lady Slipper and is about 3/4" long. The sepals and side petals are similar in shape and are pale purple. The boat-shaped lip is whitish and shades to yellow toward the tip. It has reddish-brown or purple-brown marks on the inside. The lip is spotted with purple and is crested with three rows of yellow hairs. There are two tiny horns at the toe of the slipper. This rare orchid (Calypso) should never be picked.