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Cypripedium californicum

California lady slipper, California lady's-slipper

cypripède royal, queen lady's-slipper, showy lady's-slipper

Habit Plants erect, 25–120 cm. Plants erect, 21–90 cm.
Leaves

5–10, along length of stem, alternate, ascending to spreading;

blade elliptic-lanceolate to broadly elliptic, 5–16 × 1.5–6.5 cm.

3–9, along length of stem, alternate, ascending to spreading;

blade broadly elliptic to ovate or elliptic-lanceolate, 10–27 × 5–16 cm.

Flowers

3–18(–22);

sepals yellow-green to pale brownish yellow;

dorsal sepal elliptic, 14–20 × 7–13 mm;

lateral sepals connate almost to apex;

synsepal 12–20 × 10–12 mm;

petals spreading, same color as sepals or more yellowish, linear-oblong to linear-lanceolate, flat, 14–16 × 3–5 mm;

lip white, sometimes pinkish, obovoid, 15–20 mm;

orifice basal, 11–14 mm;

staminode suborbicular-subauriform.

1–3(–4);

sepals white;

dorsal sepal suborbiculate to ovate-orbiculate, 25–45 × 18–42 mm;

lateral sepals connate, synsepal 24–42 × 15–37 mm;

petals spreading, same color as sepals, oblong to elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, flat, 25–47 × 6–17 mm;

lip white, usually suffused around orifice and variably beyond with pale pink to crimson magenta, subglobose-obovoid, 25–53 mm;

orifice basal, 18–28 mm;

staminode cordiform-ovoid to ovoid-lanceoloid.

2n

= 20.

Cypripedium californicum

Cypripedium reginae

Phenology Flowering May–Jun. Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Forest openings, especially on steep slopes, in seeps, springy marshes Coniferous and hardwood fen forests, openings, fen meadows, hillside seeps, meadows, prairies, dune lags, seeping cliffs
Elevation 0–1600 m (0–5200 ft) mostly 0–600 m (mostly 0–2000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; CT; IA; IL; IN; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; NC; ND; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; TN; VA; VT; WI; WV; MB; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 503. FNA vol. 26, p. 503.
Parent taxa Orchidaceae > subfam. Cypripedioideae > Cypripedium Orchidaceae > subfam. Cypripedioideae > Cypripedium
Sibling taxa
C. acaule, C. arietinum, C. candidum, C. fasciculatum, C. guttatum, C. kentuckiense, C. montanum, C. parviflorum, C. passerinum, C. reginae, C. yatabeanum
C. acaule, C. arietinum, C. californicum, C. candidum, C. fasciculatum, C. guttatum, C. kentuckiense, C. montanum, C. parviflorum, C. passerinum, C. yatabeanum
Synonyms C. spectabile
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 7: 389. (1868) Walter: Fl. Carol., 222. (1788)
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