Triphysaria
Triphysaria is a genus of five plants in the family Orobanchaceae which are known generally as owl's-clovers.[1] This genus is closely related to the genera Castilleja and Orthocarpus. Triphysaria are native to western North America, including a species endemic to California.
| Triphysaria | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Triphysaria eriantha | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Orobanchaceae |
| Tribe: | Pedicularideae |
| Genus: | Triphysaria Fisch. & C.A. Mey. |
| Species | |
|
5, see text | |
Description
These plants, like those in many other genera in the family, are facultative hemiparasites 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.
The plant contains its own chlorophyll and are able to undergo photosynthesis, although limited. Without hosts, the species are not able to flourish as greatly.[2]
Species
- Triphysaria eriantha - johnny-tuck, butter-and-eggs
- Triphysaria floribunda - San Francisco owl's-clover [California endemic]
- Triphysaria micrantha - purplebeak owl's-clover
- Triphysaria pusilla - dwarf owl's-clover
- Triphysaria versicolor - yellowbeak owl's-clover
References
- USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Triphysaria". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
- Marvier, Michelle A. (1998). "Parasite Impacts on Host Communities: Plant Parasitism in a California Coastal Prairie". Ecology. 79 (8): 2616–2623. doi:10.2307/176505. ISSN 0012-9658.
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)