Orthocarpus cuspidatus subsp. copelandii
Photo: parent species Orthocarpus cuspidatus · (c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Orthocarpus cuspidatus subsp. copelandii is a native California herb in the Orobanchaceae family.
Copeland's owl's-clover is a California native annual found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, and northern Sierra Nevada Mountains on open, grassy to rocky slopes at elevations of 1,200 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from June to August, this delicate plant produces flowers with a distinctive long beak, ranging 14 to 18 millimeters in length with pouches approximately 3 millimeters deep. Growing with slender stems that support multiple flower clusters, it emerges as a delicate and ephemeral summer wildflower. Its leaves are narrow and elongated, typical of the owl's-clover genus, complementing the plant's airy and graceful structure. The plant's unique flower shape, with an extended beak significantly longer than its lower lip, distinguishes it within its botanical group.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, grassy to rocky slopes
Elevation: 1200-2300 m
California counties: Trinity, Mono, Siskiyou, Alpine, Madera, Tuolumne, Calaveras, Modoc, Plumas, Nevada, Glenn, Lassen, Mendocino, Humboldt, Sierra
Outside California: southwestern Oregon
Bloom period
Orthocarpus cuspidatus subsp. copelandii blooms Jun-Aug.
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 subsp. copelandii native to California?
Yes. Orthocarpus cuspidatus subsp. copelandii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Orthocarpus cuspidatus subsp. copelandii bloom?
Orthocarpus cuspidatus subsp. copelandii blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Orthocarpus cuspidatus subsp. copelandii grow?
Orthocarpus cuspidatus subsp. copelandii occurs in Trinity, Mono, Siskiyou, Alpine, Madera, Tuolumne, Calaveras, Modoc and other counties, at elevations of 1200-2300 m.
What plant family does Orthocarpus cuspidatus subsp. copelandii belong to?
Orthocarpus cuspidatus subsp. copelandii is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Orthocarpus.
What habitat does Orthocarpus cuspidatus subsp. copelandii grow in?
Orthocarpus cuspidatus subsp. copelandii grows in Open, grassy to rocky slopes.
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.