Pilostyles thurberi
Thurber's pilostyles
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Apodanthaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Pilostyles thurberi (Thurber's pilostyles) is a native California herb in the Apodanthaceae family, recognized by Highly specialized parasitic plant in small tropical family - only genus in family that reaches temperate North America.
Thurber's pilostyles is a native perennial found in the southern Desert of Sonora region in Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial counties in open desert scrub at elevations below 300 meters. Flowering in January, this tiny plant produces minuscule flowers less than 2 millimeters long with yellow to cream-colored sepals and a dark green reproductive column. Growing as a parasitic plant with extremely reduced structure, it develops overlapping brown to maroon leaf-like scales 1 to 1.5 millimeters long that are round or ovate in shape. Its leaves are tightly arranged in 4 to 7 compact layers, creating a dense, almost scale-like appearance. The plant's reproductive structures feature a yellow disk less than 1 millimeter in diameter with anthers arranged in approximately three concentric rings.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Highly specialized parasitic plant in small tropical family - only genus in family that reaches temperate North America
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open desert scrub
Elevation: < 300 m
California counties: Imperial, San Diego, Riverside
Outside California: to Nevada, Texas, Mexico
Bloom period
Pilostyles thurberi blooms Jan.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
Frequently asked questions
Is Pilostyles thurberi native to California?
Yes. Pilostyles thurberi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Pilostyles thurberi bloom?
Pilostyles thurberi blooms Jan.
Where in California does Pilostyles thurberi grow?
Pilostyles thurberi occurs in Imperial, San Diego, Riverside, at elevations of < 300 m.
What plant family does Pilostyles thurberi belong to?
Pilostyles thurberi is in the Apodanthaceae family, genus Pilostyles.
Is Pilostyles thurberi rare or endangered?
Pilostyles thurberi carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S4.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · 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.