This is an alba form of the species. They are not common but not at all rare. If you find a large colony there will probably be an alba in it as well. When acaule is opening, all are fairly white. The coloration develops over a day or so as they open. So to make sure you are looking at a real alba, make sure the flower is completely open, like this one.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y100/fundulopanchax/Cypripedium/Cypacaulealba.jpg

Ron Burch

Very Cool Ron! Nice photo!

That's lovely, Ron, thanks for your photos!

very nice :clap2:

Great shot! :clap2:

Lovely shot Ron. It almost seems silly to want white flowers of plants that have such intense rich colors normally (that "raspberry" clone you posted earlier as an example :shock: ). However, I love white flowers too :lol: Still the prices they can fetch is a bit absurd. For example, C. japonicum alba can cost anywhere from $500 to $1000 per single eyed division! Still this is a lovely plant and wonderfully caught in your photo.

For you folks living south of New England and the northern tier states, you'll find that alba plants of this species are indeed rare. For some reason most occur in the northern half of the species' range. Of all the thousands of plants I've seen in flower from southern NY state to northern Georgia, I never saw a true alba! Yet in New England I've stumbled across several. Go figure.

Thanks again for the great shot Ron! Keep 'em comin'!

Tom

Super photo!

thanks for sharing!

That is very nice indeed, great photo too

very nice!

Nice plant.
The only white white seems to be ventriculum and macranthos and maybe reginae all else seems to with colour on septals or petals or even on the pouch. But nice picture on a nice plant. Here it is considered very tricky to get to survive and yet there is so many in nature. :)
congratulation
Joakim

Hi, Joakim, this is indeed a very difficult species to maintain in culture, even with the exotic methods. Sometimes a specimen lives for a long time, but usually not. This in spite of as you note - it is the most common species and grows in all kinds of (acidic) habitats. A fellow I know near here has them pop up all over his lawn and mows them with the grass (a practice which astonishes me!).

Ron Burch

That flower and picture is just divine!

Thank you!


cheers
tim