Triphysaria
Encyclopedia
Triphysaria is a genus of five plants in the broomrape family
which are known generally as owl's clovers. This genus is closely related to the genera Castilleja
and Orthocarpus
. Triphysaria are native to western North America, including a species endemic to California.
on other plants. They produce haustoria
that tap into the roots of other plants to extract some of the nutrients they need.
The plants bear spike inflorescences of pouched, folded flowers that have lips shaped like the beak of an owl
.
Orobanchaceae
Orobanchaceae, the broomrape family, is a family of flowering plants of the order Lamiales, with about 90 genera and more than 2000 species. Many of these genera were formerly included in the family Scrophulariaceae sensu lato...
which are known generally as owl's clovers. This genus is closely related to the genera Castilleja
Castilleja
Castilleja, commonly known as Indian paintbrush or Prairie-fire, is a genus of about 200 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants native to the west of the Americas from Alaska south to the Andes, northern Asia, and one species as far west as the Kola Peninsula in Siberia...
and Orthocarpus
Orthocarpus
Orthocarpus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae. They are native to North America. A number of species formerly included in this genus have been transferred to the genus Castilleja, of the Indian Paintbrush named plants....
. Triphysaria are native to western North America, including a species endemic to California.
Description
These plants, like those in many other genera in the family, are facultative hemiparasitesParasitic plant
A parasitic plant is one that derives some or all of its sustenance from another plant. About 4,100 species in approximately 19 families of flowering plants are known. Parasitic plants have a modified root, the haustorium, that penetrates the host plant and connects to the xylem, phloem, or...
on other plants. They produce haustoria
Haustorium
In botany, a haustorium is the appendage or portion of a parasitic fungus or of the root of a parasitic plant that penetrates the host's tissue and draws nutrients from it. Haustoria do not penetrate the host's cell membranes.Fungi in all major divisions form haustoria...
that tap into the roots of other plants to extract some of the nutrients they need.
The plants bear spike inflorescences of pouched, folded flowers that have lips shaped like the beak of an owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
.
Species
- Triphysaria erianthaTriphysaria erianthaTriphysaria eriantha is a species of flowering plant in the broomrape family known by the common names Johnny Tuck and butter and eggs. It is native to Oregon and California, where it grows in many types of habitat, becoming quite common in some areas. This is an annual herb producing a hairy...
- johnny tuck, butter-and-eggs - Triphysaria floribundaTriphysaria floribundaTriphysaria floribunda is a rare species of flowering plant in the broomrape family known by the common name San Francisco owl's clover. It is endemic to California, where it is known only from the San Francisco Bay Area...
- San Francisco owl's clover [California endemic] - Triphysaria micranthaTriphysaria micranthaTriphysaria micrantha is a species of flowering plant in the broomrape family known by the common name purplebeak owl's clover. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the grasslands of the Central Valley and the foothills to the east and west. It an annual herb producing a hairy,...
- purplebeak owl's clover - Triphysaria pusillaTriphysaria pusillaTriphysaria pusilla is a species of flowering plant in the broomrape family known by the common name dwarf owl's clover. It is native to the west coast of North America from British Columbia to central California, where it grows in moist open habitat such as spring-wet grasslands...
- dwarf owl's clover - Triphysaria versicolorTriphysaria versicolorTriphysaria versicolor is a species of flowering plant in the broomrape family known by the common name yellowbeak owl's clover. It is native to the west coast of North America from British Columbia to central California, where it grows in grassland habitat. It an annual herb producing a green or...
- yellowbeak owl's clover
External links
Further reading
- Yoder, J. I. and D. S. Jamison. (2001). Heritable variation in quinone-induced haustorium development in the parasitic plant Triphysaria. Plant Physiology 125 1870
- Torres M. J., Tomilov A. A., Tomilova N., Reagan R. L., Yoder J. I. 2005. Pscroph, a parasitic plant EST database enriched for parasite associated transcripts BMC Plant Biology 5:24 (16 November 2005)