Image 1. Three species of Cypripedium in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Garhwal Himalaya.

Image 2. An ideal habitat (Birch forest), of all Cypripedium spp. near Tungnath, Garhwal Himalaya

Table 1. Population parameters, micro-habitat features and taxa associated with three species of Cypripedium in birch forest

Parameters	Species
	C. elegans	C. cordigerum	C. himalaicum
Location and Number of individuals	Sporadic within entire patch (ca. 190 individuals)	Twelve patches (ranged from 5-40 individuals)	Three patches (7 + 3 + 9) individuals)
Micro-habitat features	Shady places under birch and willow, on slopes between 25-52°	Steep slopes (>55°), on rock overhangs, open scrub of R. lepidotum, partially exposed soil	Steep grassy slopes (ca. 50°) amidst Danthonia grass
Associated species	Smilacina purpurea, Viola biflora, Fragaria nubicola, Gerbera sp., Caltha palustris, Clematis sp., Bergenia stracheyi, Ranunculus hirtellus, Selinum vaginatum	Danthonia cachemyriana, Anemone tetrasepala, Rhododendron lepidotum, Nardostachys jatamansi	Danthonia cachemyriana, A. tetrasepala, Aconitum heterophyllum, R. lepidotum, N. jatamansi