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Cypripedium californicum

California lady slipper, California lady's-slipper

Habit Plants erect, 25–120 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.

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.

Cypripedium californicum

Orchidaceae subfam. cypripedioideae

Phenology Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Forest openings, especially on steep slopes, in seeps, springy marshes
Elevation 0–1600 m (0–5200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 503. FNA vol. 26.
Parent taxa Orchidaceae > subfam. Cypripedioideae > Cypripedium Orchidaceae
Sibling taxa
C. acaule, C. arietinum, C. candidum, C. fasciculatum, C. guttatum, C. kentuckiense, C. montanum, C. parviflorum, C. passerinum, C. reginae, C. yatabeanum
Subordinate taxa
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 7: 389. (1868) Lindley: Coll. Bot., App. 1821
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