Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin
Northern small yellow lady's-slipper, Northern Small Yellow Lady's-Slipper
Orchi (via Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA
Family: Orchidaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 3.1
Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin (Northern small yellow lady's-slipper) is a native California herb in the Orchidaceae family, recognized by distinctive yellow lip color diagnostic.
Northern small yellow lady's-slipper is a native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in mesic to moist, shady conifer forest at elevations of 1,000 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from May to June, this orchid produces delicate yellow and green-yellow flowers with dark red-brown markings, featuring a distinctive rounded slipper-shaped lip. Growing 15 to 35 centimeters tall with slender, arching stems, the plant emerges with 2 to 5 alternate leaves. Its leaves are ovate to lance-elliptic, measuring 5 to 18 centimeters long, typically arranged along the stem with subtle variations in shape. The plant typically produces 1 to 2 flowers per stem, with spreading lateral petals that are often slightly twisted and a striking yellow lip that gives the orchid its distinctive common name.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; distinctive yellow lip color diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Mesic to moist, shady conifer forest
Elevation: 1000-1900 m (estimated)
California counties: Sierra
Outside California: Washington to Alaska, northeastern United States, Newfoundland
Bloom period
Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin blooms May-Jun(est).
Conservation status
CNPS 3.1
How to tell it apart
vs Calypso: Cypripedium has a large inflated slipper lip and several leaves along a leafy stem; Calypso (fairy slipper) has a single basal leaf and a smaller pink lip that is spotted and whiskered.; vs Epipactis: Cypripedium has a hollow pouch-shaped lip and a shield-like staminode; Epipactis (stream orchid) has an open cup-and-tongue lip with no inflated pouch.; vs Platanthera: Cypripedium's lip is an inflated slipper; Platanthera (bog orchids) has a small lip drawn back into a nectar spur, with many small flowers in a spike.; vs Corallorhiza: Cypripedium is green with broad pleated leaves; Corallorhiza (coralroot) is leafless and non-green (saprophytic) with a flat, notched or spotted lip.; vs Cephalanthera: Cypripedium has a showy inflated yellow slipper lip; Cephalanthera (phantom orchid) is entirely white and waxy with an erect flower and a small, non-pouched lip.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin native to California?
Yes. Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin bloom?
Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin blooms May-Jun(est).
Where in California does Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin grow?
Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin occurs in Sierra, at elevations of 1000-1900 m (estimated).
What plant family does Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin belong to?
Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin is in the Orchidaceae family, genus Cypripedium.
Is Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin rare or endangered?
Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin carries California Rare Plant Rank 3.1, state rank S1.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.