Plants 16-53 cm. Stems attenuate toward tuberoid, 0.9-3(-3.7) mm diam. distal to leaves; bracts

Flowering Jun--Aug. Open coniferous forests and chaparral; 1300--2000 m; Calif.

Piperia colemanii is very uncommon.

In addition to the characteristics indicated in the key, Piperia colemanii may be distinguished from its more common relative, P. unalascensis, by having generally fewer stem bracts (0-2 instead of 2-5), by a deep-seated tuberoid usually 6-11 cm underground (less than 6 cm in P. unalascensis), and by a more hastate, triangular-lanceolate lip than P. unalascensis. The two species are partially sympatric and often occur in proximity, but no intermediates are known.