Taxon Report
Aphyllon robbinsii (Heckard ex Colwell & Yatsk.) A.C. Schneid.Robbins' broomrape |
 © 2017 Dylan Neubauer |
Taxon Summary
Aphyllon robbinsii, commonly known as Robbins' broomrape, is a annual herb (achlorophyllous) in the Orobanchaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Coastal bluff scrub, growing at elevations from 0 to 100 meters. Aphyllon robbinsii is ranked 1B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.Classification
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Scientific Name: |
Aphyllon robbinsii (Heckard ex Colwell & Yatsk.) A.C. Schneid. |
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Common Name: |
Robbins' broomrape |
| Family: | Orobanchaceae |
| Element Code: | PDORO040Q0 |
| USDA Plants Symbol: | |
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Synonyms/Other Names: |
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Ecology and Life History
| Lifeform: | annual herb (achlorophyllous) |
| Blooming Period: Apr-Jul | Apr-Jul |
| Elevation: | 0-100 (0-330) |
| General Habitats: | Coastal bluff scrub |
| Microhabitat: | Rocky, Sandy |
| Microhabitat Details: | Rocky or sandy soil on bluffs, cliffs, landslides, or shell mounds; possibly on sand dunes. Its only confirmed host is Eriophyllum staechadifolium. |
Conservation Status
| CA Rare Plant Rank: | 1B.1 |
| Global Rank: | G1 |
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State Rank: |
S1 |
| State List: | None |
| Fed List: | None |
| Other Status: | |
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CRPR Changes: |
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Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
| Total Occurrences: | 13 |
| Element Occurrence Ranks: | |
| Excellent (A) | 0 |
| Good (B) | 0 |
| Fair (C) | 1 |
| Poor (D) | 0 |
| None (X) | 1 |
| Unknown (U) | 11 |
| California Endemic: True | |
| California Counties and Islands: Name (Code) | |
| Marin (MRN), Monterey (MNT), San Francisco (SFO), San Luis Obispo (SLO), San Mateo (SMT), Santa Cruz (SCR) | |
| Quads: Name (Quad Code) | |
| Montara Mountain (3712254), Monterey (3612158), Piedras Blancas (3512163), Pigeon Point (3712224), Point Sur (3612138), San Francisco North (3712274), San Francisco South (3712264), Santa Cruz (3612281), Soberanes Point (3612148) | |
Threat List Data from the CNDDB
| Threat List Total: | 4 | |
| EOs with Threat Listed: | Total EOs | % of EOs |
| 5 | 38 % | |
| Non-native plant impacts | 2 | 15% |
| Other | 1 | 7% |
| Development | 1 | 7% |
| Foot traffic/trampling | 1 | 7% |
Notes
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Threats: |
| Threatened by development, non-native plants, foot traffic, and herbivores (rodents). |
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Taxonomy: |
| Previously identified as A. californicum; differentiated by its smaller flowers, white to cream corollas with pink or purple venation, generally glabrous anther sacs, and growth on Eriophyllum staechadifolium. |
Selected References
| Proposed addition to CRPR 1B.1 (2023) |
| Phytoneuron 2016-58: 1–11 (2016) |
| PhytoKeys 75: 107–118 (2016) |
Citation
California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 7 December 2025].