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Photo is of parent taxon

stiffbranch bird's beak

Photo is of parent taxon

seaside bird's beak

Stems

hispid.

downy to puberulent, hairs soft.

Spikes

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.

5–8-flowered;

proximal bracts 15–20 mm, equal to or longer than flowers, midlobes green or red distally, lanceolate, 1.5–2.5 mm wide, apex acute to retuse.

Flowers

corolla 13–17 mm.

corolla 15–20 mm.

Cordylanthus rigidus subsp. setigerus

Cordylanthus rigidus subsp. littoralis

Phenology Flowering Jun–Sep. Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Chaparral, sagebrush scrub, openings in oak woodlands and conifer woodlands. Dunes.
Elevation 200–2200 m. (700–7200 ft.) 0–200 m. (0–700 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Subspecies littoralis grows only in the coastal dunes of the central coast in Monterey and Santa Barbara counties. It intergrades with subsp. rigidus. It is not known if this subspecies is genetically distinct or if its distinguishing features are caused by the unusual habitat where the plants grow.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 676. 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. rigidus
C. rigidus subsp. brevibracteatus, C. rigidus subsp. rigidus, C. rigidus subsp. setigerus
Synonyms Adenostegia littoralis, C. littoralis, C. rigidus var. littoralis
Name authority T. I. Chuang & Heckard: Syst. Bot. Monogr. 10: 43, figs. 3k, 4n,o, 7i, 10g, 18a–g. (1986) (Ferris) T. I. Chuang & Heckard: Syst. Bot. Monogr. 10: 42. (1986)
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