About Cordylanthus tenuis A.Gray
Cordylanthus tenuis, commonly known as slender bird's beak, is a species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae. It is native to the U.S. states of California, Oregon, and Nevada, where it grows in woodland and forest habitats. This plant produces an erect, spindly stem that can reach over one meter in height, with sparse, narrow leaves measuring a few centimeters long. It is sometimes covered in sticky glandular secretions. Its body is greenish, with additional yellow or purple tinting. The stem branches at regular intervals, and each branch tip holds a cluster of one to several flowers. Each flower is pocket-shaped, between one and two centimeters long, and roughly one centimeter wide. It is made up of fuzzy maroon lobes with white or yellow lips. Several subspecies of Cordylanthus tenuis are recognized: Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. barbatus (Fresno County slender bird's beak), Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. brunneus (serpentine bird's beak), Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. capillaris (Pennell's bird's beak), Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. pallescens (pallid bird's beak), Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. tenuis, and Cordylanthus tenuis subsp. viscidus.
