''Triphysaria pusilla'' is a species of flowering plant in the family

Orobanchaceae Orobanchaceae, the broomrapes, is a family (biology), family of mostly parasitic plants of the order (biology), order Lamiales, with about 90 genus, genera and more than 2000 species. Many of these genera (e.g., ''Pedicularis'', ''Rhinanthus'', ...

known by the common name dwarf owl's-clover. The plant is native to the west coast of North America from

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

to central

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

from the

California Coast Ranges The Coast Ranges of California span from Del Norte County, California, Del Norte or Humboldt County, California, south to Santa Barbara County, California, Santa Barbara County. The other three coastal California mountain ranges are the Trans ...

across to the

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada ( ) is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primari ...

. It grows in moist open habitat such as

spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a he ...

-fed

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominance (ecology), dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes such as clover, and other Herbaceo ...

Description

''Triphysaria pusilla'' is an annual herb producing a hairy brownish or purple-colored, multi-branched stem up to about 20 centimeters in maximum height. Like many species in its family, it is a facultative hemiparasite on other plants, attaching to their roots via

haustoria In botany and mycology, a haustorium (plural haustoria) is a rootlike structure that grows into or around another structure to absorb water or nutrients. For example, in mistletoe or members of the broomrape family, the structure penetrates th ...

to tap nutrients and water. Its leaves are greenish, red or purple because of the anthocyanin pigments that the plants produce. They are up to 3 centimeters long and divided into a few narrow, pointed lobes. The

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

is a spike of minute, tubular flowers. Each flower has a beak-like yellow or purple upper lip and a wider lower lip which is divided into three tiny yellow or purple pouches. To increase the chances of

cross pollination Pollination is the transfer of pollen from an anther of a plant to the stigma of a plant, later enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds. Pollinating agents can be animals such as insects, for example bees, beetles or butterflies; birds ...

, at any point of time during the flowering season, only three flowers will have matured on each individual plant. Two of these flowers mature their

anthers The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filamen ...

first while the remaining flower matures its stigma.

Pollination

It is hypothesized that

ant Ants are Eusociality, eusocial insects of the Family (biology), family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the Taxonomy (biology), order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from Vespoidea, vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cre ...

s are the preferred pollinator of this species.

Parasitism

''Triphysaria pusilla'' is dependent on a host for survival. They are considered a generalist parasite, living off the nutrients of a variety of hosts that are non-specific. It is able to attack multiple hosts, simultaneously using the root system.

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment: ''Triphysaria pusilla''University of Washington Burke Museum Herbarium''Triphysaria pusilla'' — U.C. Photo gallery
Orobanchaceae Flora of the West Coast of the United States Flora of British Columbia Flora of California Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Orobanchaceae-stub