Orthocarpus cuspidatus
Broad scaled owl's clover
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Orthocarpus cuspidatus (Broad scaled owl's clover) is a native California herb in the Orobanchaceae family, recognized by broad bract lobes and straight puberulent beak.
Broad scaled owl's clover is a California native annual herb found in open grasslands and woodland margins at moderate elevations. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces delicate purple-pink flowers with a distinctive pouched lower lip, nestled within dense 2 to 10 centimeter inflorescences. Growing 10 to 40 centimeters tall with slender, often much-branched stems that become purple-tinged, it develops a delicate and somewhat glandular appearance. Its leaves range from 10 to 50 millimeters long, with proximal leaves entire and distal leaves featuring three deep, linear lobes that create an intricate architectural structure. The small fruits are 6 to 8 millimeters long, containing dark brown seeds that ensure the plant's continued reproduction.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; key features are broad bract lobes and straight puberulent beak
Habitat and range
California counties: Alpine, Placer, Mono, Siskiyou, Modoc, Lassen, Sierra, Trinity
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 cuspidatus native to California?
Yes. Orthocarpus cuspidatus is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Orthocarpus cuspidatus grow?
Orthocarpus cuspidatus occurs in Alpine, Placer, Mono, Siskiyou, Modoc, Lassen, Sierra, Trinity.
What plant family does Orthocarpus cuspidatus belong to?
Orthocarpus cuspidatus is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Orthocarpus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.