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Taxon  Report  
Cordylanthus nidularius  J. T. Howell
Mt. Diablo bird's beak
Cordylanthus nidularius is an annual herb (hemiparasitic) that is native to California, and endemic (limited) to California.
California Rare Plant Rank: 1B.1 (rare, threatened, or endangered in CA and elsewhere).
State of California status: Rare.
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Observation Search
~25 records in California
yellowone or more occurrences
within a 7.5-minute quadrangle
DJJJASONAFMM

Bloom Period
Genus: Cordylanthus
Family: Orobanchaceae  
(Scrophulariaceae)
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Dicot
Jepson eFlora section: eudicot

Ultramafic affinity: 6 - strict endemic

Communities: Chaparral

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + CNPS + PLANTS

Information about  Cordylanthus nidularius from other sources
Nursery availability from CNPLX
Commercial availability unknown.
Jepson eFlora

USDA PLANTS Profile (CONI2)

Photos on Calflora

Photos on CalPhotos

Google Images

Photos on iNaturalist

ID Tips on PlantID.net

[Wikipedia] Distribution, Description, Conservation: Cordylanthus nidularius is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae known by the common name Mt. Diablo bird's beak.[2] Distribution The plant is endemic to Mount Diablo, in the northern Diablo Range within Contra Costa County, in the East Bay region of northern California.[3] It grows in chaparral habitats and only on serpentine soils, at elevations of 600 to 800 metres (2,000 to 2,600 ft).[3] Description Cordylanthus nidularius is a small annual herb. It foliage is red-tinted gray-green in color, and coated with glandular hairs and woolly fibers.[2] The flowers are each surrounded by 2 or 3 bracts divided into three narrow lobes up to 1.5 centimeters long. The corolla is a purple-streaked white pouch enclosed in a calyx of sepals.[2] The bloom period is during July and August.[3] Conservation This is a state and California Native Plant Society listed Critically endangered species. It is currently known from only one occurrence on Mt. Diablo, which is threatened by trail construction and recreation, and possibly by fire suppression.[4] (contributed by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2024. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 04/28/2024).