Cypripedium parviflorum

Cypripedium parviflorum is a highly variable species occurring in North America. Three subspecies are recognized.

• Cypripedium parviflorum
1. Cyp. parviflorum var. parviflorum
2. Cyp. parviflorum var. pubescens
3. Cyp. parviflorum var. makasin

The variability is both genetic as most forms breed true as well as environmental. For example, specimens from Newfoundland that are very low-growing and with small, compressed flowers and flat petals were described as Cypripedium parviflorum var. planipetalum. When transplanted farther south, many of these plants produce larger flowers of form more typical for the species.

Adding to the variability of the species is its hybridization with several other species over parts of its range.

Hybrid	Variety parent	Other parent	Description	Year
xandrewsii	parviflorum	candidum	A. M. Fuller	19xx
xandrewsii nothovar. andrewsii	parviflorum var. makasin	candidum	?	19xx
xandrewsii nothovar. favillianum	parviflorum var. pubescens	candidum	(J. T. Curtiss) B. Boivin	19xx
xandrewsii nothovar. landonii	parviflorum var. parviflorum	xandrewsii nothovar. favillianum	(Garay) B. Boivin	20xx
xcolumbianum	parviflorum	montanum	Sheviak	1992

Distribution

Map was drawn from a digital map from www.planiglobe.com. Šplaniglobe 2004

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Cypripedium parviflorum var. parviflorum at left compared to Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens at right.