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Taxon  Report  
Piperia michaelii  (Greene) Rydb.
Michael's piperia,   Michael's rein orchid
Piperia michaelii is a perennial herb that is native to California, and endemic (limited) to California.
also called Piperia elongata ssp. michaelii
California Rare Plant Rank: 4.2 (limited distribution).
Siskiyou Del Norte Modoc Humboldt Shasta Lassen Trinity Plumas Tehama Butte Mendocino Glenn Sierra Yuba Lake Nevada Colusa Placer Sutter El Dorado Yolo Alpine Napa Sonoma Sacramento Mono Amador Solano Calaveras Tuolumne San Joaquin Marin Contra Costa Alameda Santa Cruz Mariposa Madera San Francisco San Mateo Merced Fresno Stanislaus Santa Clara Inyo San Benito Tulare Kings Monterey San Bernardino San Luis Obispo Kern Santa Barbara Ventura Los Angeles Riverside Orange San Diego Imperial
Observation Search
~212 records in California
yellowone or more occurrences
within a 7.5-minute quadrangle
DJJJASONAFMM

Bloom Period
Genus: Piperia
Family: Orchidaceae  
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Monocot
Jepson eFlora section: monocot

Habitat: coastal

Communities: Northern Coastal Scrub, Coastal Sage Scrub, Closed-cone Pine Forest, Yellow Pine Forest, Foothill Woodland

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + CNPS + PLANTS

Alternate Names:
PLANTSHabenaria michaelii
CNPS + PLANTSPiperia elongata ssp. michaelii
Information about  Piperia michaelii from other sources
Nursery availability from CNPLX
Commercial availability unknown.
Jepson eFlora

USDA PLANTS Profile (PIMI6)

Photos on Calflora

Photos on CalPhotos

Google Images

Photos on iNaturalist

ID Tips on PlantID.net

[Wikipedia] Description: Platanthera michaelii is an uncommon species of orchid known by the common names Michael's rein orchid and Michael's piperia. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the coastal plains, hills, and mountains, and the Sierra Nevada foothills. It can be found in varied habitat, including scrub, woodland, and forest. This orchid grows erect to about 70 centimeters in maximum height from a bulbous caudex. The basal leaves are up to 24 centimeters long by 5 wide. Leaves higher on the stem are much reduced. The upper part of the stem is a spikelike inflorescence of many yellow-green flowers which are fragrant in the evenings. (contributed by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2024. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 03/29/2024).