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bird-on-nest, Mount Diablo bird's-beak, Mt. Diablo bird's-beak

Yakima bird's-beak, Yakima birdbeak

Stems

decumbent, 5–10(–15) cm, glandular-puberulent and pilose.

erect or ascending, 10–50 cm, densely glandular-pubescent and pilose.

Leaves

glandular-puberulent and pilose;

proximal 10–30 mm, margins entire or 3-lobed, lobes 1–2 mm wide;

distal 10–20 × 1 mm, margins entire.

glandular-pubescent and pilose;

proximal 20–40(–50) mm, margins 3-lobed, lobes 1–2 mm wide;

distal 10–30 × 1 mm, margins entire.

Inflorescences

spikes, 2- or 3-flowered, or flowers solitary;

bracts 2 or 3, 10–15 mm, margins 3-lobed, lobes purple distally, linear to filiform.

capitate spikes, 2–5-flowered;

bracts 1–5, 10–20 mm, margins 3-lobed, lobes green and purple, linear to linear-lanceolate.

Pedicels

bracteoles 10–15 mm, margins entire.

bracteoles 12–18 mm, margins entire.

Flowers

calyx 10–16 mm, tube 0 mm, apex entire;

corolla white with purple veins, 10–15 mm, throat 5–7(–9) mm diam., abaxial lip 3–5 mm, ca. equal to and appressed to adaxial;

stamens 4, filaments hairy, fertile pollen sacs 2 per filament, equal.

calyx 10–15 mm, tube 2–4 mm, apex 2-fid, cleft 3–5 mm;

corolla purple-red, apex yellow, 10–20 mm, throat 4–6 mm diam., abaxial lip 3–5 mm, ca. equal to and appressed to adaxial;

stamens 2, filaments glabrous, fertile pollen sacs 1 per filament, vestigial pollen sacs present.

Capsules

oblong-ovoid, 5–7 mm.

ovoid to oblong-ovoid, 5–7 mm.

Seeds

7–10, dark brown, ovoid to reniform, 1.5–2 mm, irregularly striate.

4–6, dark brown, narrowly ovoid to reniform, 2–2.5 mm, reticulate.

2n

= 28.

= 26.

Cordylanthus nidularius

Cordylanthus capitatus

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug. Flowering Jul–Oct.
Habitat Dry, open serpentine in chaparral. Openings in conifer woodlands and juniper scrub.
Elevation 600–800 m. (2000–2600 ft.) 1400–2300 m. (4600–7500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Cordylanthus nidularius is the only member of the genus with decumbent stems. The species is similar to C. tenuis; it differs in its white (versus pale yellow) corollas and decumbent (versus erect to ascending) stems. It grows on the eastern slopes of Mt. Diablo.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Cordylanthus capitatus is often associated with Artemisia tridentata and may be hemiparasitic on it.

Cordylanthus capitatus is distinguished by having only two anthers, each with one fertile pollen sac; infertile vestiges of the second pollen sac usually are present. The species can be recognized by its short-capitate inflorescences, the single, spathelike, deeply cleft calyx lobe, and the purple-red corollas with yellow tips.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 673. FNA vol. 17, p. 671.
Parent taxa Orobanchaceae > Cordylanthus Orobanchaceae > Cordylanthus
Sibling taxa
C. capitatus, C. eremicus, C. kingii, C. laxiflorus, C. nevinii, C. parviflorus, C. pilosus, C. pringlei, C. ramosus, C. rigidus, C. tenuis, C. wrightii
C. eremicus, C. kingii, C. laxiflorus, C. nevinii, C. nidularius, C. parviflorus, C. pilosus, C. pringlei, C. ramosus, C. rigidus, C. tenuis, C. wrightii
Synonyms C. nevadensis
Name authority J. T. Howell: Leafl. W. Bot. 3: 207. (1943) Nuttall ex Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 597. (1846)
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