Habit: Annual, green.
Leaf: alternate, sessile, entire to 3-lobed.
Inflorescence: spike; bracts generally distinct from leaves, 1 per flower, entire to 5-lobed, tips generally colored.
Flower: calyx unequally 4-lobed, deepest sinus adaxial; corolla club-shaped, upper lip folded lengthwise, tip rounded, closed, opening directed downward forming a hood enclosing anthers and style, lower lip shorter, +- 3-pouched, (0)3-toothed; stamens 4, anther sacs 2, unequal; style, stigma slender.
Fruit: generally +- notched.
Seed: generally 8--15, often +- curved, +- keeled, attached at side; coat netted or ridged, tight-fitting.
Species In Genus: 9 species: western North America.
Etymology: (Greek: straight fruit)
Note: Close to
Cordylanthus; other species formerly placed here are
Castilleja (owl's-clovers) or
Triphysaria (Johnny-tuck).
Jepson eFlora Author: Margriet Wetherwax, T.I. Chuang & Lawrence R. Heckard
Reference: Chuang & Heckard 1992 Syst Bot 17:560--582
Index of California Plant Names (ICPN; linked via the Jepson Online Interchange)Key to Orthocarpus
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