Hello Sue- Rick Speer passed along your question about lady's-slippers to the Josselyn Botanical Society list. Here's the scoop: You're right, you SHOULDN'T pick or dig lady's-slippers. Like many orchids, they take a long time to grow- generally more than a decade before they can even flower- and have other predators (like deer) to contend with. But like many other folks, you're mistaken about their legal status. In Maine, they have none. They follow the general rule of law that the plants on a person's land are considered his or her property. The lady's-slippers you're describing are the common pink lady's-slipper, Cypripedium acaule. They are found throughout the state and are not particularly rare on a statewide basis-- even though you don't usually find lots at one time. While not what you were looking for, I hope this information is useful. Sue Gawler ********************* Susan C. Gawler Gawler Conservation Services Box 867B, Guptill Rd. Belgrade, ME 04917 207-495-3513 (phone) 207-495-3444 (fax) [log in to unmask]