Castilleja densiflora subsp. obispoensis

San luis obispo owl's-clover, San Luis Obispo Owl's-Clover

Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

San luis obispo owl's-clover is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in southern Central Coast region in San Luis Obispo County's coastal grasslands at elevations below 400 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces cream to pale yellow flowers with distinctive bracts that closely match the flower color. Growing in delicate clusters with slender stems, it forms compact inflorescences with flowers whose lower lips widen gradually. Its bracts are cream-colored and closely resemble the flower structure, creating a subtle monochromatic appearance. The flowers have calyxes 8 to 20 millimeters long with corolla teeth approximately 2 millimeters in length.

Habitat: Coastal grassland

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: < 400 m

Bioregions: s CCo (San Luis Obispo Co.).

California counties: San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Amador

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.