Why are some same cypripedium species native to both North America and Europe? Did the early settlers bring them with them and planted them here?:confused:

Millions of years ago the two continents were one big land mass and when they split the Cyps split too ending up on both continents.

Interesting question!

It's strange how the cyp species stayed pretty much the same for hundreds of thousands if not millions of years, but the continental divide produced paphs n phrags... :confused: (and mexis and selenis...)

This I find so interesting! I didnt even know the species grew in different countries.

It's strange how the cyp species stayed pretty much the same for hundreds of thousands if not millions of years, but the continental divide produced paphs n phrags... :confused: (and mexis and selenis...)

That's what I think, but then again the climates of both places for Cyps have remained relatively similar.

But arent there other cyp species that are rare and only found in China?

The other species are probably a result of evolution.

The other species are probably a result of evolution.

:iagree::iagree:

Thanks guys! Interesting replies!

Not from settlers, they got here on their own.

But which species are you referring to?

The parviforums were "seperated" from calceolus and are now considered to be a seperate species. They are certainly closely related, and considering N. America has been linked to the Eurasian land mass more than once, it is not shocking to see them in N. America.

Guttatum exists from European Russia into Alaska, and Alaska is only a few miles from Russia. Again, made it here on their own at some point.

Other than that, I don't know of any European species that occur in N. America. With regard to Asia, yatabeanum is present in both N. America and eastern Asia, and the Asian plectrochilum is related to the N. American arietium...

Thanks for the more detailed info! Very interesting!