Cypripedium parviflorum

Salisb.

American Yellow Lady's-slipper

G5Secure Found in 77 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.144288
Element CodePMORC0Q090
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
CITESAppendix II
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderOrchidales
FamilyOrchidaceae
GenusCypripedium
Synonyms
Cypripedium calceolus ssp. parviflorum(Salisb.) HultenCypripedium calceolus var. parviflorum(Salisb.) Fern.
Other Common Names
Cypripède jaune (FR) lesser yellow lady's slipper (EN) Lesser Yellow Lady's-slipper (EN) Yellow Lady's-slipper (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Taxonomic Comments
The yellow lady's slippers are often considered to be three distinct species, Cypripedium calceolus being strictly Eurasian and the American plants being assigned to either C. parviflorum or C.pubescens (sometimes treated as varieties of C. calceolus). Kartesz (1999) treats the North American plants in this group as three varieties of broadly viewed species called Cypripedium parviflorum (vars. makasin, parviflorum, and pubescens); in 1994, he had treated them as two species, C. parviflorum and C. pubescens, not addressing "var. makasin" which only recently received new recognition. Another, questionably distinct entity, "planipetalum", has been variously treated as a species (e.g., by Kartesz, 1994), as a variety or subspecies of C. calceolus or C. parviflorum, or as a synonym of one of the more generally recognized taxa. Yet another entity, the species Cypripedium kentuckiense, was recognized about 1980 and is now generally accepted as distinct; these plants had previously been confused with one or more of the species in the parviflorum/pubescens group. As presented here, following the Kartesz (1999) treatment, Cypripedium parviflorum is viewed broadly, with varieties makasin, parviflorum, and pubescens. "Cypripedium parviflorum" of Kartesz (1994) corresponds to "C. parviflorum var. parviflorum" as presented here. LEM 28Feb01.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-01-12
Change Date1988-04-21
Edition Date2001-02-28
Edition Authorsrev. L. Morse (2001)
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
Widespread in North America, apparently with thousands of occurrences.
Range Extent Comments
Alaska to Nova Scotia, south to Nebraska and Georgia. This is a widespread species complex whose taxonomy is being revised. The global range of the subspecies found in Alaska cannot now be determined with confidence from the literature.
Occurrences Comments
This is a widespread species complex whose taxonomy is being revised. The global occurrence of the subspecies found in Alaska cannot now be determined with confidence from the literature.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Small Yellow Lady's-slipper is a perennial with leafy stems 15-40 cm tall, which arise from short rhizomes. The elliptic leaves are 6-7 cm long and sheath the stem; foliage is lightly pubescent and usually glandular. The 1-2 yellow flowers are subtended by an erect leafy bract, which is often longer than the inflorescence. The narrow sepals reach up to 4 cm long, and are wavy-margined or slightly twisted. One petal is strongly pouch-shaped and often purple-dotted; the other 2 petals are united into one that is similar to the sepals but slightly longer. The fruit is an elliptic capsule bearing thousands of tiny seeds.

Diagnostic Characteristics

Petals conspicuously twisted, pouch small, 2-2.5 cm, sepals and petals deep reddish brown.

Habitat

Rich, humus and decaying leaf litter in wooded areas, often on rocky wooded hillsides on north or east facing slopes, also wooded loess river bluffs. Moist creeksides or swales in spruce zones, soils sandy loams to loams.

Ecology

Constant moisture very important during germination and early development.
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDBog/fen
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
Prince Edward IslandS2Yes
SaskatchewanS3Yes
QuebecSNRYes
New BrunswickS4Yes
ManitobaS5Yes
Nova ScotiaS3Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS4Yes
Northwest TerritoriesS3Yes
Yukon TerritoryS2Yes
LabradorS1Yes
OntarioS5Yes
AlbertaS5Yes
British ColumbiaS5Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
New YorkS4Yes
MissouriSNRYes
OklahomaSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
AlabamaSNRYes
AlaskaS2Yes
WyomingS2Yes
UtahS1Yes
New MexicoSNRYes
West VirginiaS2Yes
ArizonaS1Yes
IowaSNRYes
MarylandS4Yes
North CarolinaSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
MississippiS3Yes
GeorgiaS3Yes
Rhode IslandS1Yes
ConnecticutS3Yes
ArkansasS4Yes
South CarolinaSNRYes
KansasSNRYes
ColoradoS2Yes
IllinoisS2Yes
TennesseeSNRYes
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
DelawareSNRYes
MassachusettsS1Yes
WisconsinS3Yes
VirginiaS4Yes
MichiganS4Yes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
New JerseySNRYes
IndianaSNRYes
MontanaS3Yes
WashingtonS2Yes
MaineSNRYes
South DakotaS3Yes
VermontS3Yes
North DakotaS2Yes
KentuckySNRYes
NebraskaS1Yes
OhioSNRYes
IdahoS1Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
Navajo NationSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesNegligible (<1%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesSerious - moderateHigh (continuing)
8.1.2 - Named speciesNegligible (<1%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL, Long-lived, DECIDUOUS
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (77)
Alaska (6)
AreaForestAcres
ChichagofTongass National Forest555,858
Chilkat-West Lynn CanalTongass National Forest199,772
KartaTongass National Forest52,117
KogishTongass National Forest65,216
KosciuskoTongass National Forest64,134
SarkarTongass National Forest51,908
Arkansas (4)
AreaForestAcres
Bear MountainOuachita National Forest1,910
Clifty CanyonOzark-St. Francis National Forest1,963
Dismal CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest9,160
Richland CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest571
Colorado (1)
AreaForestAcres
HermosaSan Juan NF148,103
Georgia (7)
AreaForestAcres
Boggs CreekChattahoochee National Forest2,073
Helton CreekChattahoochee National Forest2,348
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Lance CreekChattahoochee National Forest9,025
Pink KnobChattahoochee National Forest12,127
Rocky MountainChattahoochee National Forest4,269
Tripp BranchChattahoochee National Forest615
Kentucky (1)
AreaForestAcres
WolfpenDaniel Boone National Forest2,835
Minnesota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Wood LakeSuperior National Forest596
Montana (11)
AreaForestAcres
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - SwanLewis and Clark National Forest344,022
Big Snowy Mountains WsaLewis and Clark National Forest88,003
Black ButteCuster National Forest871
Bmss Ra 1485Flathead National Forest334,275
BridgerGallatin National Forest45,059
Line Creek PlateauCuster National Forest24,825
Marston Face # 172Kootenai National Forest9,098
North AbsarokaCuster National Forest21,063
Red Lodge Creek HellroaringCuster National Forest17,210
Standard Peak Ra 1129Flathead National Forest8,262
Thompson Seton #483Kootenai National Forest29,379
New Mexico (6)
AreaForestAcres
GallinasSanta Fe National Forest13,208
Grass MountainSanta Fe National Forest3,254
Holy GhostSanta Fe National Forest2,352
Jacks CreekSanta Fe National Forest740
Lost LakeSanta Fe National Forest469
Pecos WS RiverSanta Fe National Forest5,396
North Carolina (16)
AreaForestAcres
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
Big Indian (addition)Nantahala National Forest1,155
Cheoah BaldNantahala National Forest7,795
Cherry Cove (addition)Nantahala National Forest836
Chunky Gal (addition)Nantahala National Forest3,336
Dobson KnobPisgah National Forest6,111
Graveyard Ridge (addition)Pisgah National Forest1,958
Harper CreekPisgah National Forest7,325
Jarrett CreekPisgah National Forest7,485
Lost CovePisgah National Forest5,944
Mackey MountainPisgah National Forest5,934
Middle Prong AdditionPisgah National Forest1,852
Sam Knob (addition)Pisgah National Forest2,576
South Mills RiverPisgah National Forest8,588
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
Woods MountainPisgah National Forest9,602
Tennessee (3)
AreaForestAcres
Big Laurel Branch AdditionCherokee National Forest5,577
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Little Frog Addition NWCherokee National Forest628
Vermont (2)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,833
Virginia (14)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Beartown Addition BJefferson National Forest2,985
Little Walker MountainJefferson National Forest9,818
Mill MountainGeorge Washington National Forest10,840
Mt. PleasantGeorge Washington National Forest8,933
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Oliver MountainGeorge Washington National Forest13,090
Peters Mountain Addition A (VA)Jefferson National Forest1,268
Price MountainJefferson National Forest9,119
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
Three RidgesGeorge Washington National Forest4,745
West Virginia (5)
AreaForestAcres
Dry ForkMonongahela National Forest657
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
Peters Mountain Addition A (WV)Jefferson National Forest343
References (15)
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  2. Chadde, S. 1991. Sensitive plant survey, Pinkham Analysis Area, Fortine & Rexford Ranger Districts, Kootenai National Forest. Unpublished report. 26 pp. plus appendices.
  3. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 26. Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvi + 723 pp.
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  6. Hoitsma, T. 1992. Sensitive plant survey, Fortine Ranger District, Kootenai National Forest. Unpublished report. 65 pp. plus appendices.
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  9. Lesica, P. 1986. Vegetation and flora of Pine Butte Fen, Teton County, Montana. Great Basin Naturalist 46:22-32.
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  11. Linden, B. 1980. Aseptic germination of seeds of northern terrestrial orchids. Ann. Bot. Fennici 17:174-182.
  12. Nekola, J. C. 1990. Rare Iowa plant notes from the R. V. Drexler Herbarium. Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science 97(1): 55-73.
  13. St.-Arnaud, M. and D. Barabe. 1989. Comparative analysis of the flower vascularization of some CYPRIPEDIUM species (Orchidaceae). Lindleyana 4(3):146-153.
  14. Weber, W.A. and R. C. Wittmann. 2006. Colorado Flora Western Slope. Third Edition. University Press of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
  15. Welsh, S.L. 1974. Anderson's flora of Alaska and adjacent parts of Canada. Brigham Young Univ. Press, Provo, Utah. 724 pp.