Triphysaria pusilla
Dwarf owl's clover
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Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Triphysaria pusilla (Dwarf owl's clover) is a native California herb in the Orobanchaceae family, recognized by decumbent branching habit, small purple flowers with hooked beak.
Dwarf owl's clover is a California native annual found in northwestern California, the Great Valley, Sierra Nevada foothills, and central western California in grassland habitats at elevations below 1,200 meters. Flowering from April to June, this delicate plant produces small flowers with purple and yellow coloration, approximately 4 to 7 millimeters long with a distinctive hooked beak. Growing 5 to 20 centimeters tall with decumbent-branched stems that spread finely from the base, it has a somewhat obscure main axis covered in yellow-brown or purplish hairs. Its leaves range from 5 to 30 millimeters long with 3 to 9 distinctive lobes, creating a delicate and intricate foliage pattern. The fruit is round and compressed, containing 20 to 30 dark brown seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species; key features are decumbent branching habit, small purple flowers with hooked beak
Habitat and range
Habitat: Grassland
Elevation: < 1200 m
California counties: Humboldt, Contra Costa, Monterey, Santa Clara, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, El Dorado, Placer, Sonoma, Yuba, Santa Barbara, Napa, Marin, Tehama, Solano, Sacramento, Santa Cruz, Nevada, Alameda, Butte, Mendocino, Trinity, Tuolumne, Calaveras, Fresno, Del Norte, Stanislaus, San Francisco, Mariposa, Lake, Colusa, Amador
Outside California: to British Columbia
Bloom period
Triphysaria pusilla blooms Apr-Jun.
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 pusilla native to California?
Yes. Triphysaria pusilla is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Triphysaria pusilla bloom?
Triphysaria pusilla blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Triphysaria pusilla grow?
Triphysaria pusilla occurs in Humboldt, Contra Costa, Monterey, Santa Clara, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, El Dorado, Placer and other counties, at elevations of < 1200 m.
What plant family does Triphysaria pusilla belong to?
Triphysaria pusilla is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Triphysaria.
What habitat does Triphysaria pusilla grow in?
Triphysaria pusilla grows in Grassland.
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.