Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. capillaris
Pennell's bird's-beak, Pennell's Bird's-Beak
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2 · Endangered
Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. capillaris (Pennell's bird's-beak) is a native California herb in the Orobanchaceae family, recognized by thread-like 3-lobed bracts distinctive.
Pennell's bird's-beak is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in southwestern North Coast Ranges near Occidental in Sonoma County, growing in serpentine chaparral at approximately 200 meters elevation. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces delicate flowers with pale thin corollas 14 to 16 millimeters long. Growing with slender, nearly hairless stems, it develops thread-like leaves that are generally folded, creating a distinctively sparse and delicate appearance. Its leaves are extremely narrow, almost hair-like, giving the plant a subtle and intricate texture. The flower clusters are loosely arranged with one to four blossoms, featuring outer bracts that are three-lobed and thread-like, with inner bract tips typically covered in fine, soft hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; thread-like 3-lobed bracts distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Serpentine in chaparral
Elevation: +- 200 m.
Bloom period
Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. capillaris blooms Jun-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2 · Endangered
How to tell it apart
vs Dicranostegia: Cordylanthus has flowers in short dense spikes under 2cm; Dicranostegia has flowers scattered singly along stem.; vs Castilleja: Cordylanthus has closed hood with rolled lower lip; Castilleja has open beak without rolled lip.; vs Dittrichia: Cordylanthus has tubular two-lipped flowers; Dittrichia has yellow daisy flowers with many ray petals.; vs Chloropyron: Cordylanthus has palmately divided leaves; Chloropyron has succulent undivided leaves in salt marsh habitat.; vs Deinandra: Cordylanthus has tubular two-lipped flowers; Deinandra has yellow daisy flowers with notched ray petals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. capillaris native to California?
Yes. Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. capillaris is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. capillaris bloom?
Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. capillaris blooms Jun-Jul.
What plant family does Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. capillaris belong to?
Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. capillaris is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Cordylanthus.
Is Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. capillaris rare or endangered?
Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. capillaris carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S1.
What habitat does Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. capillaris grow in?
Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. capillaris grows in Serpentine in chaparral.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. pallescens — Pallid bird's-beak
- Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. tenuis
- Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. viscidus
- Cordylanthus capitatus — Yakima bird's-beak
- Cordylanthus eremicus — Desert bird's beak
- Cordylanthus eremicus subsp. eremicus — Desert bird's-beak
- Dicranostegia orcuttiana — Orcutt's bird's-beak
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.