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Glite Dictionary
California lady's slipper

California lady's slipper

9.9
A rare wild orchid with yellow-green flowers and a white pouch found in northern California and southwestern Oregon
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : zapatilla de dama de California
  • The California lady's slipper can be found along moist stream banks in northern California.

Examples

  • We hiked through the forest to find the beautiful blooms of the California lady's slipper in early summer.

  • Botanists are working to preserve populations of the rare California lady's slipper from habitat loss.

  • The California lady's slipper is a beautiful orchid.

  • Have you seen a California lady's slipper in bloom?

  • The California lady's slipper is a rare orchid known for its striking yellow-green flowers.

  • We hiked through the woods and were delighted to spot a California lady's slipper by the stream.

  • In the spring, many visitors come to see the California lady's slipper blooming in its natural habitat.

Synonyms

Cypripedium californicum
vsCalifornia lady's slipper
  • Specialized
9.9

A rare orchid with yellow-green flowers and white pouch-like petals that grows near streams in northern California and Oregon

is the common English name for the same species rather than the scientific label

Surface Forms

California lady's slipper singular
California lady's slippers plural

Morphology

California + lady's + slipper

The phrase is built from a place name plus the conventional plant name 'lady's slipper', where 'slipper' metaphorically refers to the flower's slipper-like pouch; that metaphorical link is somewhat accessible to learners who know 'lady' and 'slipper'. However, a B1 learner who only knows the constituent words would not reliably infer that this denotes a particular species of orchid, so the meaning is only partially predictable.

Etymology

California lady's slipper comes from the flower's shape: its bloom has a pouch that looks like a small 'slipper' or shoe, so people called it a lady's slipper. The word California was added to show where this orchid grows.