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Photo is of parent taxon

rigid bird's beak, stiffbranch bird's beak

Photo is of parent taxon

stiffbranch bird's beak

Stems

pubescent and hirsute, often glabrescent, hairs stiff.

hispid.

Spikes

5–15-flowered;

proximal bracts 15–20 mm, longer than flowers, midlobes green or red distally, linear-lanceolate, 1–1.5 mm wide, apex rounded to retuse.

5–13-flowered;

proximal bracts 10–20 mm, equal to or longer than flowers, midlobes dark purple distally, linear, 0.5–1 mm wide, apex retuse.

Flowers

corolla 12–20 mm.

corolla 13–17 mm.

Cordylanthus rigidus subsp. rigidus

Cordylanthus rigidus subsp. setigerus

Phenology Flowering Jul–Sep. Flowering Jun–Sep.
Habitat Open, montane woodlands, chaparral margins. Chaparral, sagebrush scrub, openings in oak woodlands and conifer woodlands.
Elevation 300–2700 m. (1000–8900 ft.) 200–2200 m. (700–7200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Subspecies rigidus is the most widespread of the subspecies, showing great variability in height, leaf shape, and amount of pubescence. It often can be recognized by its inflorescence bracts, which are rounded to retuse and longer than the flowers.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 675. FNA vol. 17, p. 676.
Parent taxa Orobanchaceae > Cordylanthus > Cordylanthus rigidus Orobanchaceae > Cordylanthus > Cordylanthus rigidus
Sibling taxa
C. rigidus subsp. brevibracteatus, C. rigidus subsp. littoralis, C. rigidus subsp. setigerus
C. rigidus subsp. brevibracteatus, C. rigidus subsp. littoralis, C. rigidus subsp. rigidus
Synonyms C. compactus, C. ferrisianus, C. littoralis subsp. platycephalus, C. platycephalus, C. rigidus, C. rigidus var. ferrisianus
Name authority unknown T. I. Chuang & Heckard: Syst. Bot. Monogr. 10: 43, figs. 3k, 4n,o, 7i, 10g, 18a–g. (1986)
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