Orthocarpus sp.
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Annual · Native
Orthocarpus sp. is a native California annual in the Orobanchaceae family.
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 sp. native to California?
Yes. Orthocarpus sp. is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Orthocarpus sp. belong to?
Orthocarpus sp. is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Orthocarpus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Orthocarpus bracteosus — Bracted owl's clover
- Orthocarpus cuspidatus — Broad scaled owl's clover
- Orthocarpus cuspidatus subsp. copelandii
- Orthocarpus cuspidatus subsp. cryptanthus
- Orthocarpus cuspidatus subsp. cuspidatus — Siskiyou mountains orthocarpus
- Orthocarpus imbricatus — Imbricate owl's clover
- Parentucellia latifolia — Broadleaf glandweed
- Parentucellia sp.
- Pedicularis attollens — Little elephant's head
- Pedicularis bracteosa var. flavida — Yellowish lousewort
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.