View from above and below

  

As part of my job, I sometimes receive requests from researchers to check on the status of local species, e.g., whether a plant is flowering now or going to seed.  Recently there was an inquiry about an interesting parasitic plant, California Orobanche (Aphyllon californicum).

I couldn't find any at first, but I didn't give up, and in the end I found a few orobanche in flower.  

From above (first photo) the plant is intriguing, but it gets even more interesting if you lie down for a side view:

 

 

And when you look even closer, there are lots (lots!) of glandular hairs  all over the petals.  Look for the tiny hairs with golden tips:

 

 

 

I read that the glandular hairs might be protective against herbivores or pathogens, but it sounds like there are other possible functions, too. 

Follow the gold

 

Close-up of California Orobanche (Aphyllon californicum, formerly Orobanche californica), photographed on 6 August 2019.

For a little more information about California Orobanche, see the posts called "Why so glandular?" from 16 August 2013 and "Worth the wait" on 19 August 2013.

Why so glandular?

These pictures are thanks to Lewis's sharp eyes.  I'm so glad he pointed out this intriguing wildflower!  It was growing along the coastal bluff on Bodega Head.  I photographed it today, 16 August 2013.

 

This is California Orobanche (Orobanche californica).  It's a native perennial with an interesting mode of living.  It doesn't photosynthesize, but instead is parasitic on other plants (in this case, especially species in the Asteraceae family).

The next view is a bit closer and from a slightly different angle:

 

I was very curious about the yellow linings on the lower petals (see below).  Could they be insect attractants, functioning like runways for potential pollinators?

 

The other thing I noticed about Orobanche today is that it's covered with glandular hairs.  And I mean covered.  When you look closely there are little droplets everywhere!  They're small, so hard to see in these photos, but the following image highlights some of the glandular hairs along the petal margins.  Why so glandular?