Arizona Wild Flowers
Wildflower Pictures And Photos

Owl Clover, Castilleja exserta (Orthocarpus purpurascens)

Owl Clover, Castilleja exserta (Orthocarpus purpurascens).

Owl Clover, Castilleja exserta	Owl Clover, Orthocarpus purpurascens
Owl Clover, Castilleja exserta	Owl Clover, Orthocarpus purpurascens
Owl Clover, Castilleja exserta Seed Pods	Owl Clover, Orthocarpus purpurascens Seed Pods
Owl Clover, Castilleja exserta Seed Pod And Seeds	Owl Clover, Orthocarpus purpurascens Seed Pod And Seed

Owl Clover Orthocarpus purpurascens, Figwort Family Is Often Called The Snapdragon Family ( Scrophulariaceae ) , Owl Clover. Also called Exserted Indian Paintbrush, or Purple Owl's-Clover Owl clover: Castilleja exserta, (formerly Orthocarpus purpurascens). Annual. The plant grows at elevations between 0 - 4500 feet in open desert areas. They typically grow to about 6 - 8 inches in height and have green, brushy leaves which are about an inch in length. The Owl Clover blooms in the spring, producing a tiny yellow flower which is surrounded by brushy, purple bracts (bracts are modified leaves which grow at the base of the flowers). The plant is called Escobita in Spanish, which means "little broom". Owl clover is a member of the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae). It produces spectacular flowering spikes, about 6 - 8 inches in height, composed of many small flowers. The name "owl clover" derives partly from the clover-like purple color of the flowers and partly from the "faces" of the flowers (yellow in this case) which are said to resemble an owl's face. The species C. purpurascens is found in desert grasslands below about 4500 feet in Arizona. This plant is a hemiparasite: like several members of the figwort family, it gains its sugars from photosynthesis but has a poorly developed root system, so it "taps" into the roots of other plants by producing nutrient-absorbing haustoria, to obtain most of its water and mineral nutrients. Height: Normally About 6" - 8" Tall. Can grow to 18 inches. Flowers: Tiny yellow flower which is surrounded by brushy, magenta - purple bracts. 5 petals, Pink/purple to white/yellow, with lobes forming a yellow beak and "eye-spots" on the lower lip - an owl's face if you look just right. Bracts and flowers to 1.25" long, in dense spikes. Blooming Time: March - May. Sometimes in great numbers after rains. Leaves: Alternate, pubescent leaves, 0.5 to 2 inches long, pinnately cleft into very narrow segments. The green, glandular-hairy, 5 to 9-lobed leaves intergrade with the bracts. Found: Found in Arizona. Elevation: 0 - 4500 Feet. Habitat: Statewide - Hillsides, Roadsides, Flats, Sandy Plains. Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken April 15, 2005.