Castilleja lacera
Cut leaved owl's clover
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Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Castilleja lacera (Cut leaved owl's clover) is a native California herb in the Orobanchaceae family, recognized by deep yellow flowers with prominent lower lip pouches.
Cut leaved owl's clover is a California native annual herb found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and North Coast Ranges in grassland habitats at elevations of 200 to 2,800 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces deep yellow flowers with purple-dotted pouches, blooming in dense inflorescences 3 to 15 centimeters long. Growing with glandular-puberulent stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall and spreading hairs, it has an upright and delicate appearance. Its leaves are lance-linear, 10 to 50 millimeters long, with 0 to 5 narrow lobes, creating a finely dissected foliage structure. The flower bracts are ovate and green, with 3 to 7 lance-linear lobes, adding to the plant's intricate botanical complexity.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 44 sympatric species; distinguished by deep yellow flowers with prominent lower lip pouches
Habitat and range
Habitat: Grassland
Elevation: 200-2800 m
California counties: Tehama, Siskiyou, Plumas, Butte, Tuolumne, Napa, Calaveras, El Dorado, Nevada, Mono, Modoc, Trinity, Lassen, Shasta, Amador, Sierra, Yuba, Tulare, Madera, Mariposa, Placer, Fresno, Humboldt, Del Norte, Marin, Sonoma, Alpine, Sacramento, Lake
Outside California: southern Oregon
Bloom period
Castilleja lacera blooms Apr-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Triphysaria: Castilleja lacks the sharp fold in flower throat; Triphysaria has abrupt crease above lower lip.; vs Trifolium: Castilleja has tubular flowers with colorful bracts; Trifolium has round heads of pea-like flowers and three leaflets.; vs Pedicularis: Castilleja has open forward beak and colorful bracts; Pedicularis has closed hood and fern-like leaves.; vs Orthocarpus: Castilleja has open beak you can see into; Orthocarpus has closed hood covering stamens completely.; vs Epilobium: Castilleja has tubular two-lipped flowers and colorful bracts; Epilobium has four separate petals arranged in cross.
Frequently asked questions
Is Castilleja lacera native to California?
Yes. Castilleja lacera is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Castilleja lacera bloom?
Castilleja lacera blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Castilleja lacera grow?
Castilleja lacera occurs in Tehama, Siskiyou, Plumas, Butte, Tuolumne, Napa, Calaveras, El Dorado and other counties, at elevations of 200-2800 m.
What plant family does Castilleja lacera belong to?
Castilleja lacera is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Castilleja.
What habitat does Castilleja lacera grow in?
Castilleja lacera grows in Grassland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.