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

Nevin's bird's-beak

Stems

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

ascending, 20–80 cm, densely puberulent and glandular-puberulent, sometimes 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.

densely glandular-puberulent;

proximal 5–30 mm, margins 3-lobed, lobes 1 mm wide;

distal 5–20 × 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.

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

bracts 1–3, 5–10 mm, margins 3-lobed, lobes white to cream distally, linear or slightly spatulate, apex rounded to retuse.

Pedicels

bracteoles 10–15 mm, margins entire.

bracteoles 10–15 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 1 mm, apex entire;

corolla white with purple veins, apex yellow, 10–18 mm, throat 5–8 mm diam., abaxial lip 3–5 mm, ca. equal to and appressed to adaxial;

stamens 4, filaments hairy, fertile pollen sacs 1 per filament, vestigial pollen sacs present.

Capsules

oblong-ovoid, 5–7 mm.

ovoid-oblong, 5–8 mm.

Seeds

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

6–10, dark brown, ovoid, 2.5–3 mm, striate.

2n

= 28.

= 28.

Cordylanthus nidularius

Cordylanthus nevinii

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug. Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Dry, open serpentine in chaparral. Openings, hillsides, pine-oak woodlands.
Elevation 600–800 m. (2000–2600 ft.) 1400–2600 m. (4600–8500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[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 nevinii has relatively short inflorescence bracts, similar to those of C. rigidus subsp. brevibracteatus, which is sympatric. Cordylanthus nevinii can be distinguished by having only one fertile pollen sac per stamen and flowers much longer than the inflorescence bracts.

The corolla of Cordylanthus nevinii is very wide at the middle just proximal to the base of the adaxial lip. The flowers appear to have a pair of lateral pouches. This appearance is enhanced because the pouches are white, in contrast to the purple-veined adaxial lip.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 673. FNA vol. 17, p. 673.
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. capitatus, C. eremicus, C. kingii, C. laxiflorus, C. nidularius, C. parviflorus, C. pilosus, C. pringlei, C. ramosus, C. rigidus, C. tenuis, C. wrightii
Name authority J. T. Howell: Leafl. W. Bot. 3: 207. (1943) A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 17: 229. (1882)
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