Clustered lady’s-slipper, brownie lady’s-slipper

Cypripedium knightiae A. Nelson

Plants erect, 6–35 cm in flower, taller in fruit; inflorescences nodding in flower, erect in fruit. Leaves 2, initially near middle of stem, subopposite, wide-spreading, distal portion elongating greatly in fruit; blade elliptic to ovate-orbiculate, 4–12 × 2.5–7.5 cm. Flowers (1–)2–4; sepals dull yellow, marked and suffused often intensely with reddish brown or dark purple; dorsal sepal lanceolate, 13–25 × 3–8 mm; lateral sepals connate, synsepal 11–23 × 4–9 mm; petals porrect-spreading, same color as sepals, flat, ovate-lanceolate to lance-acuminate, 10–23 × 6–17 mm; lip color of sepals, usually less intensely marked, mostly obovoid, 8–14(–25) mm, orifice basal, 4–5 mm; staminode ellipsoid to oblong. 2n = 20.

Flowering Apr--Aug. Moist to dry coniferous forests and thickets; 0--3200 m; Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.

SELECTED REFERENCE

Brownell, V. R. and P. M. Catling. 1987. Notes on the distribution and taxonomy of Cypripedium fasciculatum Kellogg ex Watson (Orchidaceae). Lindleyana 2: 53–57.