Wildflowers of the United States

Home Journal Family Index - All States Photo Albums News About Privacy

Wright's Bird's Beak, Club Flower - Cordylanthus wrightii


Family: Orobanchaceae - Broom-rape family Genus Common Name: Birds Beak Native Status: NativeDicot Annual Herb Leaves:Alternate
Cordylanthus wrightii - Wright's Bird's Beak, Club Flower.
Cordylanthus - Bird's Beak or Club Flower - as currently described is a small genus of a dozen or so species found in western North America. Other species previously classifed in Cordylanthus have been moved to Chloropyron and Dicranostegia. The plants of Cordylanthus are hemi-parasitic - they have chlorophyll and thus provide some of their own food, but are also partially parasitic on the roots or shoots of another host plant, obtaining water and minerals from the other plant. This root parasitism has allowed Cordylanthus to grow in dry areas during drier times when most other annuals have died. Cordylanthus, along with many other parasitic former members of Scrophulariaceae has been moved to Orobanchaceae.

Cordylanthus wrightii grows in sandy areas in plains and pine forests of the four corners states in the southwestern United States, and in extreme western Texas. It blooms from July thru October.

Found in:
AZ, CO, NM, TX, UT

Leave comments on Cordylanthus wrightii at this link.
Cordylanthus wrightii

Distribution of Cordylanthus wrightii in the United States and Canada:
Map unavailable.
Map courtesy of The Biota of North America Program.
Map color key

Search Our Database: Enter any portion of the Scientific, Common Name, or both.
Scientific name:
Common name:

Example: Enter "lob" in the common name field and you'll get all our species that have "lobelia" in the common name, as well as "sharp-lobed hepatica".

Do a general Google search of the entire site:


#ad

Follow on Twitter
Follow USWildflowers on Twitter



Site: Canyonlands National Park, San Juan County, UT Date: 2016-August-28Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D7000
The flower of Cordylanthus wrightii has a green calyx which partially sheaths the two-lipped corolla, which may be yellow to reddish-purple (some say "mauve"). The upper corolla lip is hood-like, and contains four stamens and the style, with what appears to me to be the style extending and bending beak-like over the corolla lip. The lower lip is smaller, hidden behind the upper lip in this picture. The corolla is hairy.
Cordylanthus wrightii
Site: Canyonlands National Park, San Juan County, UT Date: 2016-August-28Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
In addition to the shield-like calyx, the flower is subtended by linear bracts, which are shaped similarly to the leaves.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Cordylanthus wrightii
Site: Canyonlands National Park, San Juan County, UT Date: 2016-August-28Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Wright's Bird's Beak is a much-branching, spindly-looking plant, growing up to about 4 feet tall. The leaves are alternate, divided into linear segments.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Cordylanthus wrightii
References used for identification and information:
#ad
Cordylanthus wrightii initially published on USWildflowers.com 2019-03-30; Updated 2019-03-30

Commercial / Cookie Notice

Looking for Wildflowers for a specific state? Check here:



All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2024
Photographs Copyright owned by the named photographer



Code Update 20230302