Cordylanthus rigidus subsp. littoralis

Seaside bird's-beak, Seaside Bird's-Beak

Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Seaside bird's-beak is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native annual found in central California coastal regions including southern Monterey Bay, Peninsula, and Santa Barbara County in coastal dune habitats at elevations below 200 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces delicate flowers in compact clusters approximately 10 to 20 millimeters wide. Growing with soft-hairy stems, it develops an intricate inflorescence with 5 to 8 flowers and distinctive bracts that have lobed upper portions. Its upper bracts feature elongated lanceolate middle lobes with tapered tips, creating a distinctive architectural structure. The flowers measure 15 to 20 millimeters long, emerging from soft, puberulent foliage characteristic of coastal dune environments.

Habitat: Dunes

Bloom period: Jul-Aug

Elevation: < 200 m

Bioregions: c CCo (s Monterey Bay and Peninsula), s CCo (Santa Barbara Co.).

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