
Castilleja rubicundula ssp. lithospermoides
NATIVE
Description (Jepson, PlantID.net)
- Eudicotyledon
- Eudicots are a major lineage of flowering plants; see family for general characteristics
- Broomrape Family (Orobanchaceae)
- Annual herb, semi-parasitic
- Hairy and glandular (sticky)
- Leaves
- Alternate (1 leaf at each junction with stem), with blades attached directly to the stem (sessile)
- Lance-shaped
- Flowers
- Inflorescence (flower arrangement) is a dense spike (single stem bearing stalkless flowers)
- Bracts (modified leaves) at base are green and lobed
- Bilaterally-symmetrical flowers are yellow
- Tube-shaped, partially covered by bracts and sepals (usually green, outer flower parts)
- 5 petals in two sets
- 2-lobed upper lip creates a straight beak (a slender projection)
- Lower lip forms 3 inflated pouches
- Stigma (pollen-receiving part of the pistil/female structure) exserted atop the beak
- Ovary superior (above the attachment of other flower parts)
- Inflorescence (flower arrangement) is a dense spike (single stem bearing stalkless flowers)
- Fruit is a capsule
- Height to 28 in.
Distribution
- Native to California
- Grows in grasslands
- 55-64% of plants occur on ultramafic soils, e.g. serpentine; see ultramafic affinity rankings (Calflora per Safford and Miller 2020)
- See Serpentine Grassland for more about Edgewood’s serpentine soil and the unique communities it supports
- See Calflora for statewide observations of this plant
- Outside California, grows in southwestern Oregon
- Grows at elevations to 2,950 ft.
Uses (San Mateo County Parks prohibits removal of any natural material)
- Wildlife
- Larval food source (host) for several butterfly species, e.g. common buckeye (Junonia coenia), Leanira checkerspot (Chlosyne leanira), variable checkerspot (Euphydryas chalcedona), and the endangered Bay checkerspot (E. editha bayensis)
- Yellow cream sacs play a role, along with other related owl’s-clovers (see chart), in efforts to re-establish the Bay Checkerspot Butterfly at Edgewood
- Native people
- Harvested the seeds of Castilleja species, which were an important food source (Anderson 2005)
- Flowers were used in ceremonial wreaths
- Harvested the seeds of Castilleja species, which were an important food source (Anderson 2005)
Name Derivation
- Castilleja (kas-til-AY-ha) – named for Domingo Castillejo Muñoz (1744-1793), a Spanish surgeon and professor of botany
- rubicundula (roo-bee-KUND-yoo-la) – from the Latin rubicunda, “reddish”
- lithospermoides (lith-oh-sper-MOI-dees) – from the Greek lithos, “stone,” and sperma, “seed”
Notes
- Partial root parasite (hemiparasitic)
- Capable of photosynthesis, but obtains nutrients and water from a variety of other plants (Heckard 1962)
- Specialized root structures called haustoria (singular, haustorium) penetrate the host plant’s roots
- Plants in the genus Castilleja are known to hybridize
- Formerly in the Figwort family (Scrophulariaceae)
- Edgewood’s yellow cream sacs is classified as a subspecies
- Subspecies indicates a geographically-separated population with distinct morphological characteristics; when not isolated, interbreeding is possible
- Variety indicates a population with small morphological variations, e.g. color, seen throughout the geographic range of the species; interbreeding is possible
- In practice, botanists have not consistently applied these ranks
ID Tips
- May be confused with 3 other grassland Castilleja species at Edgewood: dense-flowered owl’s-clover (C. densiflora ssp. densiflora), purple owl’s-clover (C. exserta ssp. exserta), and valley tassels (C. attenuata)
Dense-flowered Owl’s-clover | Purple Owl’s-clover | Valley Tassels | Yellow Cream Sacs | |
Hairiness | slightly hairy | densely hairy (cobwebby) | slightly hairy | hairy |
Inflorescence | dense spike | dense spike | narrow spike | bulging spike |
Flower | ||||
Sepal Color | green to pink … light pink tips | magenta … pink tips | green … white or yellow tips | green |
Petal Color | mostly white with pink … yellow and purple accents | white and magenta or pink … yellow and purple accents | white to pale yellow … yellow and purple accents | bright yellow to cream |
Pouch¹ | inflated | inflated | slightly inflated | greatly inflated |
Beak² | straight … not hairy | hooked … densely hairy | straight … not hairy | straight … not hairy |
² Beak: 2 upper fused petals

© DSchiel (L, LM, R), TCorelli (RM)

© JMason and © LMiller and © Regents of the University of California
At Edgewood
- Found in serpentine and non-serpentine grasslands
- See iNaturalist for observations of Castilleja rubicundula
- Flowers April – June
Specific References
Alexander, E.B. 2010, Oct. & 2011, Jan. Serpentine soils and why they limit plant survival and growth. Fremontia 38/39: 28-31.
Anderson, M.K. 2005. Tending the Wild. University of California, Berkeley.
Heckard, L.R. 1962. Root parasitism in Castilleja. Abstract. Botanical Gazette 124(1). The University of Chicago Press Journals.
Mason, J. 2004. Scrophulariaceae — Figwort family characteristics [Illustration of owl’s clover beak, adapted]. T. Corelli. Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve (2nd. ed.). Monocot Press, Half Moon Bay, California. (c) CC BY NC 3.0.
Miller, L.B. 2004. Castilleja attenuata [Illustration, adapted]. T. Corelli. Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve (2nd. ed.). Monocot Press, Half Moon Bay, California. (c) CC BY NC 3.0.
—–. Castilleja densiflora ssp. densiflora [Illustration, adapted]. T. Corelli. Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve (2nd. ed.). Monocot Press, Half Moon Bay, California. (c) CC BY NC 3.0.
—–. Castilleja exserta ssp. exserta [Illustration, adapted]. T. Corelli. Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve (2nd. ed.). Monocot Press, Half Moon Bay, California. (c) CC BY NC 3.0.
—–. Castilleja rubicundula ssp. lithospermoides [Illustration, adapted]. T. Corelli. Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve (2nd. ed.). Monocot Press, Half Moon Bay, California. (c) CC BY NC 3.0.
Mitchell, M. 2017. Orobanchaceae: Broomrape family — Castilleja (Paintbrush & owl’s-clover). Monterey County Wildflowers, Trees, and Ferns – A Photographic Guide.
Regents of the University of California. Castilleja exserta subsp. exserta [Illustration of beak, adapted]. Jepson eFlora. Jepson Herbarium. University of California, Berkeley.
—–. Castilleja rubicundula subsp. lithospermoides [Illustration of beak, adapted]. Jepson eFlora. Jepson Herbarium. University of California, Berkeley.
Safford, H.D. 2010, Oct. & 2011, Jan. Serpentine endemism of the California flora. Fremontia 38/39: 32-39.
Safford, H.D. and J.E.D. Miller. 2020. An updated database of serpentine endemism in the California flora. Madroño 67: 85-104. BioOne Complete.