About Cordylanthus pilosus A.Gray
Cordylanthus pilosus is a species of flowering plant in the Orobanchaceae family, commonly known as hairy bird's beak. This species is endemic to the mountain ranges and foothills of northern California, where it grows in woodland and chaparral habitats, most often on serpentine soils. The species is divided into three subspecies, each mainly restricted to a different section of local mountains. In general, this annual herb is erect and branching, and reaches a maximum height between 20 centimeters and 1.2 meters. Its foliage is purple-tinted gray-green, and typically has a distinctly hairy texture; the hairs are sometimes associated with sticky glands. Its branches hold sparse tufts of small, linear leaves. The flowers growing in the plant's inflorescence are accompanied by bracts that may be linear or lobed, with each lobe being knobby or notched. Individual flowers grow up to 2 centimeters long, with a whitish pouch marked with yellow and purple that is enclosed in hairy sepals. The three recognized subspecies are Cordylanthus pilosus subsp. trifidus, found in the Sierra Nevada; Cordylanthus pilosus subsp. pilosus, found in the Coast Ranges; and Cordylanthus pilosus subsp. hansenii, found in the Cascade Ranges and the Sierra Nevada.
