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bushy bird's-beak, bushy birdbeak

nodding bird's-beak

Stems

erect, 10–30(–90) cm, puberulent, sometimes pilose.

erect, 30–90 cm, hirsute to pilose, hairs glandular and eglandular.

Leaves

puberulent;

proximal 10–40 mm, margins 3–5-lobed, lobes 1–2 mm wide;

distal 10–15 × 0.5–1 mm, margins entire.

densely pilose;

proximal 5–20 mm, margins 3-lobed, lobes 1 mm wide;

distal 5–15 × 1 mm, margins entire.

Inflorescences

capitate spikes, 3–7-flowered;

bracts 1–7, 10–20 mm, margins 5–7-lobed, lobes green, sometimes purple distally, filiform.

spikes, 1(–4)-flowered;

bract 1, 5–7 mm, 3-lobed, lobes green or purple, narrowly lanceolate.

Pedicels

bracteoles 10–20 mm, margins entire.

bracteoles 10–20 mm, margins entire.

Flowers

calyx 15–20 mm, tube 0 mm, apex entire or 2-fid, cleft 0–1 mm;

corolla pale yellow, spotted and streaked with purple, 10–20 mm, throat 4–6 mm diam., abaxial lip 3–5 mm, ca. equal to and appressed to adaxial;

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

calyx 10–17 mm, tube 2 mm, apex 2-fid, cleft 0.5–1 mm;

corolla bright yellow, 15–20 mm, throat 3–5 mm diam., abaxial lip 7–10 mm, shorter than adaxial and slightly spreading;

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

Capsules

oblong-lanceoloid, 8–10 mm.

oblong-lanceoloid, 7–8 mm.

Seeds

10–20, light brown, narrowly ovate, 1.5–2 mm, reticulate.

15–20, light brown, reniform, 1.5–2 mm, reticulate and papillate.

2n

= 24.

= 26.

Cordylanthus ramosus

Cordylanthus laxiflorus

Phenology Flowering late Jun–Aug. Flowering Jul–Oct.
Habitat Rocky, alkaline soils, sagebrush scrub. Rocky slopes, mesas, often limestone.
Elevation 400–2900 m. (1300–9500 ft.) 1000–1900 m. (3300–6200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Cordylanthus laxiflorus is recognized by its bright yellow corollas with adaxial lip shorter than the galea. Cordylanthus parviflorus also has the abaxial lip shorter than the adaxial; it has pink to purple corollas.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 675. FNA vol. 17, p. 672.
Parent taxa Orobanchaceae > Cordylanthus Orobanchaceae > Cordylanthus
Sibling taxa
C. capitatus, C. eremicus, C. kingii, C. laxiflorus, C. nevinii, C. nidularius, C. parviflorus, C. pilosus, C. pringlei, C. rigidus, C. tenuis, C. wrightii
C. capitatus, C. eremicus, C. kingii, C. nevinii, C. nidularius, C. parviflorus, C. pilosus, C. pringlei, C. ramosus, C. rigidus, C. tenuis, C. wrightii
Synonyms Adenostegia ciliosa, A. ramosa, C. ramosus var. puberulus, C. ramosus subsp. setosus
Name authority Nuttall ex Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 597. (1846) A. Gray: in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 120. (1859) — (as Cordylanthu)
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