During GH Zhu's trip to China in 1998, several cyperediums were acquired at the Beijing flower market. They were allegedly from the provinces of Gansu and Shaanxi in northwestern China. Among already wilted and poorly preserved plants, one was not similar to any of the known representatives of the genus. This plant was delivered to the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, for study. It turned out that cyripedium is similar to several uncertain specimens in the herbarium that were collected in Shaanxi province [4] .
China ( Shaanxi ). Grassy slopes at heights of 2600–3300 meters above sea level [3] .
Grassy perennial 13-15 (-24) cm tall. Rhizome 4-5 cm thick, 4-5 mm in diameter. The stem is erect, glabrous, with 3-4 leaves.
The leaf blade is elliptical or elliptically lanceolate, 4.5-11 × 2.8-3.5 cm.
The inflorescence is apical, 1-flowered. Bracts narrowly elliptical or ovate-lanceolate, 6-6.5 cm, both surfaces pubescent. The flower is purple-red, 4-4.5 cm in diameter. Dorsal sepal elliptical-ovoid, 2.2-3 × 1.3-1.5 cm, glabrous, pointed; the sail is oval-elliptical or narrowly elliptical, 2.2–2.8 × 1–1.2 cm, bare, forked at the apex. Lanceolate petals , 2.6-3 × 0.7-0.9 cm; the lip is almost spherical, 2.5-3 × 1.5-2 cm, the outer surface is bare, the inner lower part is covered with villi. The staminode is oblong, 10-11 × 5-6 mm.
Flowering in June-July [3] .
Cyp. taibaiense resembles Cypripedium yunnanense , but differs from it in that the ovaries are pubescent at least along the ribs, oblong staminodynia (almost twice as long as wide), as well as structural features of the petals and dorsal sepals.
