Taxon Report

Cypripedium californicum Gray

California lady's-slipper

Print Report

© 2012 Barry Rice

Taxon Summary

Cypripedium californicum, commonly known as California lady's-slipper, is a perennial rhizomatous herb in the Orchidaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Bogs and fens, and Lower montane coniferous forest, growing at elevations from 30 to 2750 meters. Cypripedium californicum is ranked 4.2, Plants of Limited Distribution, A Watch List; Moderately threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Cypripedium californicum Gray
Common Name:	California lady's-slipper
Family:	Orchidaceae
Element Code:	PMORC0Q040
USDA Plants Symbol:	CYCA4
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	perennial rhizomatous herb
Blooming Period: Apr-Aug(Sep)	Apr-Aug(Sep)
Elevation:	30-2750 (100-9025)
General Habitats:	Bogs and fens, Lower montane coniferous forest
Microhabitat:	Seeps, Serpentine (usually), Streambanks
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	4.2
Global Rank:	G3
State Rank:	S4
State List:	None
Fed List:	None
Other Status:	IUCN_EN; SB_CalBG/RSABG
CRPR Changes:

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	0
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	0
Good (B)	0
Fair (C)	0
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	0
Unknown (U)	0

Location


California Endemic: False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Butte (BUT), Del Norte (DNT), Humboldt (HUM), Lassen (LAS), Marin (MRN)*, Mendocino (MEN), Nevada (NEV), Plumas (PLU), Shasta (SHA), Siskiyou (SIS), Sonoma (SON), Tehama (TEH), Trinity (TRI)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Almanor (4012122), Bear Peak (4112365), Belden (4012113), Berry Creek (3912164), Blue Creek Mtn. (4112347), Brush Creek (3912163), Bully Choop Mtn. (4012257), Cant Hook Mtn. (4112368), Canyondam (4012121), Caribou (4012112), Carrville (4112216), Cascade (3912162), Cazadero (3812351), Cecil Lake (4112312), Chester (4012132), Chickabally Mtn. (4012236), Chicken Hawk Hill (4112214), China Mtn. (4112245), City of Mount Shasta (4112233), Covington Mill (4012287), Deadman Point (4112384), Devils Punchbowl (4112376), Duncans Mills (3812341), Dunsmuir (4112223), Dutch Creek (4112381), Elledge Peak (3912312), Fort Ross (3812352), Gasquet (4112378), Grouse Mtn. (4012376), Hamburg (4112371), Happy Camp (4112374), High Divide (4112481), High Plateau Mtn. (4112388), Hiouchi (4112471), Hoopa (4112316), Huckleberry Mtn. (4112363), Hurdygurdy Butte (4112377), Kangaroo Mtn. (4112382), Kimshew Point (3912184), Klamath Glen (4112358), Mount Eddy (4112234), Noble Butte (3912386), North Bloomfield (3912038), Onion Valley (3912078), Polar Bear Mtn. (4112385), Prescott Mtn. (4112366), Preston Peak (4112375), Pulga (3912174), Quincy (3912088), Rush Creek Lakes (4012278), San Rafael (3712285), Scott Mountain (4112236), Seven Lakes Basin (4112224), Shelly Creek Ridge (4112387), Ship Mountain (4112367), Siligo Peak (4012288), Smith River (4112482), Tangle Blue Lake (4112226), Tombs Creek (3812362), Trinity Center (4012286), Trinity Dam (4012277), Twain (4012111), Ukiah (3912322), Warm Springs Dam (3812361), Weed (4112244), Westwood West (4012131), Whisky Bill Peak (4112215), Wildwood (4012341), Willow Creek (4012386), Ycatapom Peak (4112217)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	0
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	0	0 %

Notes



Many protected populations on USFS land not reproducing. On watch list in OR.
Threats:
Threatened by horticultural collecting and logging. Potentially threatened by road maintenance.
Taxonomy:
See Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 7:389 (1868) for original description, and Fremontia 17(2):17-19 (1989) and The Wild Orchids of California, p. 62-64 (1995) by R. Coleman for species accounts.

Selected References

USFS Potential Species of Conservation Concern Profile

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 7 February 2025].