owl’s clover

Member of paintbrushes (genus Castilleja)
broomrape family (family Orobanchaceae)
dicots (class Magnoliopsida)
flowering plants (subphylum Angiospermae)

The corolla’s upper lip lobes are fused into a “beak” with an open tip. The stigma is exserted from the tip of the beak (or included). The angle of the beak (hooked or straight) determines the position of the stigma (next to the beak or above it)

The corolla’s lower lip is reduced and may be 3-toothed to -pouched.

purple owl’s-clover
Castilleja exserta

corolla beak tip hooked, densely shaggy-hairy [example]
the spherical stigma is exserted on the side of the (hooked) corolla beak [example]
common

denseflower indian paintbrush
Castilleja densiflora

corolla beak straight, puberulent [example], appearing almost glabrous in comparison
the spherical stigma is exserted on the top of the (erect) corolla beak [example]
inflorescence 20–40 mm wide
corolla wider distally, pouches generally 3–7 mm wide
stigma generally ± exserted
branches 0 or few from mid-stem
leaf lance-linear, < 3 mm wide
common, particularly in the Santa Cruz range

salt-marsh owl-clover
Castilleja ambigua

corolla beak straight, puberulent
inflorescence 20–40 mm wide
corolla wider distally, pouches generally 3–7 mm wide
stigma generally ± exserted
branches generally many
leaf lanceolate to oblong, > 3 mm wide
scattered along Pacific coast, Oakland

valley tassels
Castilleja attenuata

corolla beak straight, puberulent
inflorescence 10–20 mm wide
corolla linear, pouches ± 2 mm wide
stigma included
corolla white, purple-dotted

CalPhotos shows that it may have dark purple spots, but no large area of pink

scattered

Toxicity of paint brush, painted cup (Castilleja spp.):
0 – Non-toxic.

3 observed taxons / 1 unobserved taxon / 1 key

Chris’s observations: 80 (77 are research grade)

Locations:

Henry Coe SP: 18
Edgewood Park & Natural Preserve: 9
Russian Ridge OSP: 8
Coyote Lake / Harvey Bear Ranch CP: 5
Máyyan 'Ooyákma Coyote Ridge OSP: 5
Rancho Cañada del Oro OSP: 5
Santa Teresa CP: 5
Sunol Wilderness RP: 5
Fremont Older OSP: 2
Joseph D. Grant CP: 2
Monte Bello OSP: 2
Sierra Vista OSP: 2
Skyline Ridge OSP: 2
Stevens Creek CP: 2
Big Basin SP
Calero CP
Foothills Nature Preserve, Palo Alto
Fort Ord NM
Hidden Villa, Los Altos Hills
Long Ridge OSP
San Jose, CA
UCSC Campus Natural Reserve

Months:

Mar.: 8
Apr.: 38
May: 23
Jun.: 11

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