Triphysaria floribunda
San francisco owl's-clover, San Francisco Owl's-Clover
(c) Arvel Hernandez, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Triphysaria floribunda (San francisco owl's-clover) is a native California herb in the Orobanchaceae family, recognized by creamy white flowers, glabrous habit, exserted stamens.
San francisco owl's-clover is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in northern Central Coast and western San Francisco Bay areas including Marin and San Mateo counties in coastal grasslands and serpentine slopes at elevations below 200 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces creamy white flowers with a delicate lower lip and subtle pouches about 2 millimeters deep. Growing 10 to 30 centimeters tall with a yellow-brown coloration, the plant has a slender, mostly glabrous or sparsely stiff-hairy stem. Its leaves are intricately divided, ranging 10 to 40 millimeters long with 5 to 9 distinct lobes, creating a finely textured appearance. The fruit contains 20 to 30 dark brown seeds, each approximately 4 to 5 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species; key features are creamy white flowers, glabrous habit, exserted stamens
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal grassland, serpentine slopes
Elevation: < 200 m
California counties: Marin, San Mateo, San Francisco, Sonoma
Bloom period
Triphysaria floribunda blooms Apr-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
How to tell it apart
vs Castilleja: Triphysaria has sharp throat fold above lower lip; Castilleja has smooth throat without fold.; vs Linaria: Triphysaria has open beak with throat fold; Linaria has closed tube with spur projecting backward.; vs Trifolium: Triphysaria has tubular two-lipped flowers; Trifolium has round heads of pea-like flowers with three leaflets.; vs Bellardia: Triphysaria has throat fold and yellow-white flowers; Bellardia lacks throat fold and has purple-yellow flowers.; vs Orthocarpus: Triphysaria has open beak with throat fold; Orthocarpus has closed hood completely covering stamens.
Frequently asked questions
Is Triphysaria floribunda native to California?
Yes. Triphysaria floribunda is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Triphysaria floribunda bloom?
Triphysaria floribunda blooms Apr-May.
Where in California does Triphysaria floribunda grow?
Triphysaria floribunda occurs in Marin, San Mateo, San Francisco, Sonoma, at elevations of < 200 m.
What plant family does Triphysaria floribunda belong to?
Triphysaria floribunda is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Triphysaria.
Is Triphysaria floribunda rare or endangered?
Triphysaria floribunda carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S2?.
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.