Ornithopus pinnatus

Pinnate leaved ornithopus

Family: Fabaceae · Type: annual · Not Native

Pinnate leaved ornithopus is a naturalized annual found in coastal prairies and disturbed areas of the central coast region, specifically Santa Cruz County, at elevations of 150 to 200 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces yellow flowers in delicate clusters. Growing with slender stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it has a glabrous or slightly hairy appearance. Its compound leaves feature linear to oblanceolate leaflets arranged along the stem. The distinctive elongated fruits are generally curved, measuring 2 to 3.5 centimeters in length.

Habitat: Coastal prairies, disturbed areas

Bloom period: Jun-Jul

Elevation: 150-200 m

Bioregions: CCo (Santa Cruz Co.)

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