Taxon Report

Aphyllon epigalium Colwell & A. C. Schneid. ssp. notocalifornicum Colwell & A. C. Schneid.

Southern California galium broomrape

Print Report

Keir Morse

Taxon Summary

Aphyllon epigalium ssp. notocalifornicum, commonly known as Southern California galium broomrape, is a annual/perennial herb (parasitic) in the Orobanchaceae that is . It occurs within Cismontane woodland, Lower montane coniferous forest, and Riparian forest, growing at elevations from 1200 to 1535 meters. Aphyllon epigalium ssp. notocalifornicum is ranked 1B.3, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Not very threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Aphyllon epigalium Colwell & A. C. Schneid. ssp. notocalifornicum Colwell & A. C. Schneid.
Common Name:	Southern California galium broomrape
Family:	Orobanchaceae
Element Code:	PDORO05012
USDA Plants Symbol:
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	annual/perennial herb (parasitic)
Blooming Period: Jun(Jul)	Jun(Jul)
Elevation:	1200-1535 (3935-5035)
General Habitats:	Cismontane woodland, Lower montane coniferous forest, Riparian forest
Microhabitat:
Microhabitat Details:	Associated host is Gallium andrewsii and possibly other perennial Galium spp. Most records are from stands of Pseudotsuga macrocarpa.

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	1B.3
Global Rank:	G4T2
State Rank:	S2
State List:	None
Fed List:	None
Other Status:
CRPR Changes:	added to 1B.3 on 2023-09-20

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	8
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	0
Good (B)	0
Fair (C)	0
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	0
Unknown (U)	8

Location


California Endemic: False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
San Bernardino (SBD), San Diego (SDG), Ventura (VEN)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Boucher Hill (3311638), Cuyamaca Peak (3211685), Forest Falls (3411618), Palomar Observatory (3311637), Vail Lake (3311648), White Ledge Peak (3411944), Yucaipa (3411711)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	0
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	0	%

Notes



While Colwell et al. (2017) include May in the flowering time, no May records were found.
Threats:
Potentially threatened by improper burning regime.
Taxonomy:
Previously identified as either A. fasciculatum or (sometimes) A. purpureum; differentiated by its growth on Galium and the presence of 2-4 yellow flowers per stem with pedicels longer than the stem. Differentiated from A. epigalium ssp. epigalium by its paler, straw-colored flowers and shorter corollas with more prominently arched tubes, +/- horizontal mouths, and narrower lobes with erect or weakly recurved tips.

Selected References

Proposed addition to CRPR 1B.3, G4T2 / S2 (2023)

Madroño 64(3): 99–107 (2017)

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 22 February 2025].