Orthocarpus pachystachyus
Encyclopedia
Orthocarpus pachystachyus is a rare species of flowering plant in the broomrape family
known by the common name Shasta owl's clover. It is endemic to central Siskiyou County, California
, where it is so rarely seen it was thought to be extinct
until 1996, when eight individuals were located. The plant grows in an isolated wilderness but since it apparently only occurs on one single hillside it is considered very vulnerable to extinction.
is a dense cylindrical spike of wide oval purple-green bract
s, the flowers emerging from between them. The lightly hairy flowers are up to 3 centimeters long and pink in color. They are club-shaped, the upper lip a curving beak and the lower lip a wide pouch.
Orobanchaceae
Orobanchaceae, the broomrape family, is a family of flowering plants of the order Lamiales, with about 90 genera and more than 2000 species. Many of these genera were formerly included in the family Scrophulariaceae sensu lato...
known by the common name Shasta owl's clover. It is endemic to central Siskiyou County, California
Siskiyou County, California
Siskiyou County is a county located in the far northernmost part of the U.S. state of California, in the Shasta Cascade region on the Oregon border. Yreka is the county seat. Because of its substantial natural beauty, outdoor recreation opportunities, and Gold Rush era history, it is an important...
, where it is so rarely seen it was thought to be extinct
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
until 1996, when eight individuals were located. The plant grows in an isolated wilderness but since it apparently only occurs on one single hillside it is considered very vulnerable to extinction.
Description
This is a small annual herb producing a stout, hairy, glandular stem up to about 20 centimeters tall. The narrow leaves are up to 5 centimeters long, the upper ones sometimes divided into three to five lobes. The inflorescenceInflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a dense cylindrical spike of wide oval purple-green bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
s, the flowers emerging from between them. The lightly hairy flowers are up to 3 centimeters long and pink in color. They are club-shaped, the upper lip a curving beak and the lower lip a wide pouch.