OWL'S CLOVER (Orihocdrpus purpurdscens, Benth.). Flow- 

 ers 2 lipped, the narrow, straight, upper lip crimson, the lower 

 inflated, in the form of a sac, creamy white at the centre 

 deepening outwardly to magenta; disposed in dense spikes 

 with bracts, these and the calyx lobes with purplish tips. 

 Leaves divided into many thread-like lobes. An erect, hairy 

 annual, common throughout California, blooming from March 

 to May in grasslands and on hillsides, often tinging the land- 

 scape for considerable distances with a purple bluish. 



The general appearance of Owl's Clover simulates a Castil- 

 leia of dull color. For this reason the name Pink Paint-brush 

 is sometimes applied to it unfortunately, as the practice 

 tends to confuse two quite separate genera. Why it should be 

 called Owl's Clover is not obvious. Perhaps, it is because, as 

 Miss Armstrong suggests, the quaint flower-faces of some 

 species are of owlish look. The Spanish-Californian's name is 

 Escobita, meaning "little broom," which is really descriptive. 



There are numerous species of Orthocarpus, some with 

 spikes that are white, and some that are yellowish. One of 

 the latter, 0. lithospermoides, Benth., has been graphically 

 called Coyote-tail by Northern California Indian children. 



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