Orthocarpus bracteosus
Bracted owl's clover
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Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1
Orthocarpus bracteosus (Bracted owl's clover) is a native California herb in the Orobanchaceae family, recognized by hooked glabrous beak and narrow bract lobes.
Bracted owl's clover is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native annual found in the northern Sierra Nevada and Modoc Plateau in moist meadows at elevations of 500 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces white to purple flowers with distinctive hooked beaks and deeply pouched lower lips. Growing 10 to 40 centimeters tall with slender stems that become purple-tinged, it has linear leaves with proximal leaves entire and distal leaves divided into three lobes. Its leaves range 15 to 35 millimeters long, with delicate ovate bracts that grade into the leaves and occasionally develop purple tints. The fruit is 5 to 7 millimeters long, containing light brown seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; key features are hooked glabrous beak and narrow bract lobes
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist meadows
Elevation: 500-2000 m
California counties: Siskiyou, Modoc, Plumas, Lassen, Santa Barbara, Riverside
Outside California: to British Columbia
Bloom period
Orthocarpus bracteosus blooms Jun-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.1
How to tell it apart
vs Castilleja: Orthocarpus has closed hood hiding stamens; Castilleja has open beak you can see into from front.; vs Triphysaria: Orthocarpus has closed hood and 4-lobed cup; Triphysaria has open beak with throat fold.; vs Cordylanthus: Orthocarpus has simple closed hood; Cordylanthus has lower lip middle lobe rolled under creating bird-beak look.; vs Dicranostegia: Orthocarpus has simple closed hood; Dicranostegia has lower lip middle lobe rolled under like Cordylanthus.; vs Chloropyron: Orthocarpus found in mountains; Chloropyron found in coastal salt marshes with succulent leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Orthocarpus bracteosus native to California?
Yes. Orthocarpus bracteosus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Orthocarpus bracteosus bloom?
Orthocarpus bracteosus blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Orthocarpus bracteosus grow?
Orthocarpus bracteosus occurs in Siskiyou, Modoc, Plumas, Lassen, Santa Barbara, Riverside, at elevations of 500-2000 m.
What plant family does Orthocarpus bracteosus belong to?
Orthocarpus bracteosus is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Orthocarpus.
Is Orthocarpus bracteosus rare or endangered?
Orthocarpus bracteosus carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.1, state rank S1.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · 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.