Orthocarpus luteus
Yellow owl's clover
(c) Gabriel Campbell-Martinez, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Orthocarpus luteus (Yellow owl's clover) is a native California herb in the Orobanchaceae family, recognized by distinctive golden-yellow flowers make identification straightforward.
Yellow owl's clover is a native annual found in the Great Basin and its adjacent edges in moist fields, sagebrush scrub, and mountain meadows at elevations of 1,300 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces golden-yellow flowers on dense inflorescences with distinctive green bracts and narrow lobes. Growing 10 to 40 centimeters tall with slender stems that often become purple-tinged, it has a delicate, glandular-hairy appearance. Its leaves are narrow, ranging from 15 to 50 millimeters long, typically entire or with upper leaves having three deep lobes. The flowers feature a golden-yellow corolla with a distinctive beak 2 to 4 millimeters long, slightly hooked and projecting downward.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; distinctive golden-yellow flowers make identification straightforward
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist fields, sagebrush scrub, mountain meadows
Elevation: 1300-3000 m
California counties: Mono, Kern, Fresno, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra, Modoc, Alpine, Lassen, Mariposa, Tuolumne
Outside California: to British Columbia, north-central United States, New Mexico
Bloom period
Orthocarpus luteus blooms Jul-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 luteus native to California?
Yes. Orthocarpus luteus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Orthocarpus luteus bloom?
Orthocarpus luteus blooms Jul-Aug.
Where in California does Orthocarpus luteus grow?
Orthocarpus luteus occurs in Mono, Kern, Fresno, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra, Modoc, Alpine and other counties, at elevations of 1300-3000 m.
What plant family does Orthocarpus luteus belong to?
Orthocarpus luteus is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Orthocarpus.
What habitat does Orthocarpus luteus grow in?
Orthocarpus luteus grows in Moist fields, sagebrush scrub, mountain meadows.
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.