OregonFlora: Cypripedium californicum

	Cypripedium californicum
	California lady slipper
Habit	Herbs to 80(100 or more) cm tall.
Leaves	alternate, 5–10, 5–15 × 2–6 cm, grading into bracts in the inflorescence.
Inflorescences	elongated, 3–20-flowered.
Flowers	dorsal sepal elliptic, 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 cm; yellowish green to pale brownish yellow; lateral sepals connate nearly to tip, similar in color and shape to dorsal sepal; petals lanceolate, 1–2 × 0.3–0.5 cm, yellow to yellowish green; lip 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 cm, white occasionally with pink.

	Cypripedium californicum
Distribution	[WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Small streams, riversides, seepage slopes, usually on serpentine soils. Flowering Apr–Jul. 200–1600m. CR, Sisk. CA. Native. Usually endemic to serpentine-derived soils, California lady slipper is often found growing with the carnivorous plant Darlingtonia californica in seepage slopes and small streams.
Source	Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 322 James Riser
Sibling taxa	C. fasciculatum, C. montanum
Web links	Local floras: CA, OR Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Cypripedium californicum

California lady slipper

Habit

Herbs to 80(100 or more) cm tall.

Leaves

alternate, 5–10, 5–15 × 2–6 cm, grading into bracts in the inflorescence.

Inflorescences

elongated, 3–20-flowered.

Flowers

dorsal sepal elliptic, 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 cm; yellowish green to pale brownish yellow;

lateral sepals connate nearly to tip, similar in color and shape to dorsal sepal;

petals lanceolate, 1–2 × 0.3–0.5 cm, yellow to yellowish green;

lip 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 cm, white occasionally with pink.

Cypripedium californicum

Distribution

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Small streams, riversides, seepage slopes, usually on serpentine soils. Flowering Apr–Jul. 200–1600m. CR, Sisk. CA. Native.

Usually endemic to serpentine-derived soils, California lady slipper is often found growing with the carnivorous plant Darlingtonia californica in seepage slopes and small streams.

Source

Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 322
James Riser

Sibling taxa

C. fasciculatum, C. montanum

Web links