Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. tenuis
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. tenuis is a native California herb in the Orobanchaceae family, recognized by sparse 1-3 flower clusters and entire outer bracts.
Thin-stemmed owl's-clover is a California native annual found in central Klamath Ranges and Sierra Nevada in open conifer forests and foothill woodlands at elevations of 300 to 2,600 meters. Flowering from July to September, this delicate plant produces small flowers typically 10 to 20 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems that vary from softly downy at higher elevations to glandular-sticky at lower elevations, it reaches heights typically under 30 centimeters. Its narrow linear leaves remain entire, providing a clean, minimalist profile along the stem. The plant forms loose clusters of one to three flowers, with inner bract hairs less than one millimeter long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; diagnostic sparse 1-3 flower clusters and entire outer bracts
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open conifer forests, foothill woodland
Elevation: 300-2600 m
California counties: Tuolumne, Mariposa, Lassen, Calaveras, Placer, El Dorado, Siskiyou, Madera, Plumas, Fresno, Lake, Butte, Nevada, Tehama, Amador, Trinity, Yuba, Sierra, Alpine, Mono
Bloom period
Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. tenuis blooms Jul-Sep.
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. tenuis native to California?
Yes. Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. tenuis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. tenuis bloom?
Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. tenuis blooms Jul-Sep.
Where in California does Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. tenuis grow?
Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. tenuis occurs in Tuolumne, Mariposa, Lassen, Calaveras, Placer, El Dorado, Siskiyou, Madera and other counties, at elevations of 300-2600 m.
What plant family does Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. tenuis belong to?
Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. tenuis is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Cordylanthus.
What habitat does Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. tenuis grow in?
Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. tenuis grows in Open conifer forests, foothill woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. viscidus
- Cordylanthus capitatus — Yakima bird's-beak
- Cordylanthus eremicus — Desert bird's beak
- Cordylanthus eremicus subsp. eremicus — Desert bird's-beak
- Cordylanthus eremicus subsp. kernensis — Kern plateau bird's-beak
- Cordylanthus kingii subsp. helleri
- Dicranostegia orcuttiana — Orcutt's bird's-beak
- Dicranostegia sp.
- Kopsiopsis hookeri — Small ground-cone
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.