Taxon Report

Cordylanthus tenuis Gray ssp. capillaris (Penn.) Chuang & Heckard

Pennell's bird's-beak

Print Report

Taxon Summary

Cordylanthus tenuis ssp. capillaris, commonly known as Pennell's bird's-beak, is a annual herb (hemiparasitic) in the Orobanchaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Chaparral, and Closed-cone coniferous forest, growing at elevations from 45 to 305 meters. Cordylanthus tenuis ssp. capillaris is ranked 1B.2, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Moderately threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Cordylanthus tenuis Gray ssp. capillaris (Penn.) Chuang & Heckard
Common Name:	Pennell's bird's-beak
Family:	Orobanchaceae
Element Code:	PDSCR0J0S2
USDA Plants Symbol:	COTEC
Synonyms/Other Names:	Cordylanthus brunneus (Jeps.) Pennell ssp. capillaris Pennell

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	annual herb (hemiparasitic)
Blooming Period: Jun-Sep	Jun-Sep
Elevation:	45-305 (150-1000)
General Habitats:	Chaparral, Closed-cone coniferous forest
Microhabitat:	Serpentine
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	1B.2
Global Rank:	G4G5T1
State Rank:	S1
State List:	CR
Fed List:	FE
Other Status:	SB_CalBG/RSABG
CRPR Changes:

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	4
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	0
Good (B)	3
Fair (C)	0
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	0
Unknown (U)	1

Location


California Endemic: True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Sonoma (SON)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Camp Meeker (3812248), Guerneville (3812258)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	9
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	3	75 %
ORV activity	2	50%
Recreational use (non-ORV)	1	25%
Road/trail construction/maint.	1	25%
Vandalism/dumping/litter	1	25%
Development	1	25%
Erosion/runoff	1	25%
Grazing	1	25%
Mining	1	25%
Non-native plant impacts	1	25%

Notes



Known from fewer than five occurrences. Threatened by dumping, vehicles, and road maintenance, and potentially by development. See Systematic Botany Monographs 10:50-62 (1986) for taxonomic treatment.
Threats:

Taxonomy:

Selected References

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 21 December 2025].