Purple Owl's-Clover (Castilleja exserta) Native, annual, hemiparasitic plant in the Paintbrushes (Castilleja) Genus and Orobanchaceae (Broomrape) Family. Leaves are sessile. Inflorescence is erect and "spike-like." It is glandular-puberulent, stiff-hairy, and densely shaggy-hairy overall. Lower leaves are long, linear, and thread-like. Flowers are usually pink-purple, but sometimes white. Tip of beak/galea (upper lip of flower) is hairy and hooked. Peak bloom time: March-May. There are 3 subspecies in California. Castilleja exserta is distinguished from the similar C. densiflora by its conspicuously hairy and apically hooked beak.
Jepson eFlora
Castilleja exerta https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=18200 and
Castilleja exerta exerta https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=49744
Calflora (Castilleja exerta species distribution maps) https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=1694
Castilleja exserta exserta: https://www.calflora.org/entry/observ.html?track=m#srch=t&lpcli=t&taxon=Castilleja+exserta+ssp.+exserta&chk=t&cch=t&cnabh=t&inat=r&cc=MNT
Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015, pp. 220-221.
Flora of North America http://floranorthamerica.org/Castilleja_exserta
Monterey County Wildflowers, Trees & Ferns https://montereywildflowers.com/orobanchaceae-castilleja/
Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, p. 109.
Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California, David Styer, 2019, p. 157.
Extensive photo collection/albums of Castilleja in North America, north of Mexico, by Mark Egger:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_egger_castilleja/collections/72157617709816218/
Castilleja exserta, 138 beautiful photos by Mark Egger:
"This is the most common and widespread of the Californian Owl's-clovers, formerly placed in the genus Orthocarpus. It often occurs in huge populations that paint the hillsides and add to the spectacle of spring in California. The uncommon white-bracted color morph is found here and there, always mixed in randomly among the much more numerous pink to magenta-purple forms." https://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_egger_castilleja/sets/72157623802131890/ and
64 photos https://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_egger_castilleja/sets/72157623789757561/
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Castilleja (Paintbrushes & Owl’s-clover) are in the Orobanchaceae (Broomrape) Family. Castilleja is notable for growing in poor soils, including serpentine which is toxic to many other plant species. Members of the Broomrape family are all root parasites. Those in the Castilleja (Paintbrush) genus are HEMIPARASITIC, meaning they have photosynthetic green leaves, but also derive some of their nutrients from nearby plants. Castilleja is usually found growing over roots other plants like Manzanitas and Chamise.
Jepson eFlora Key to Castilleja: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_keys.php?key=11347
Castilleja description taxon page https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=11347
Monterey County Wildflowers https://montereywildflowers.com/orobanchaceae-castilleja/
INaturalist project, Orobanchaceae of California https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/orobanchaceae-of-california
Serpentine Soils https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serpentine_soil
Calflora (83 species/subspecies of Castilleja in California with photos): https://www.calflora.org/entry/psearch.html?namesoup=Castilleja&countylist=any&plantcomm=any&format=photos&orderby=taxon
Extensive photo collection/albums of Castilleja in North America, north of Mexico, by photographer Mark Egger: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_egger_castilleja/collections/72157617709816218/