| Triphysaria eriantha | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Orobanchaceae |
| Genus: | Triphysaria |
| Species: | T. eriantha |
| Binomial name | |
| Triphysaria eriantha (Benth.) T.I.Chuang & Heckard |
|
Triphysaria eriantha is a species of flowering plant in the broomrape family known by the common names Johnny Tuck and butter and eggs. It is native to Oregon and California, where it grows in many types of habitat, becoming quite common in some areas. This is an annual herb producing a hairy purple stem up to about 35 centimeters in maximum height. Like many species in its family it is a facultative root parasite on other plants, attaching to their roots via haustoria to tap nutrients. Its green or purplish leaves are up to 5 centimeters long and are divided into a few narrow, pointed lobes. The inflorescence is a spike of flowers. Each flower has a very thin, narrow upper lip which is purple in color, and a wide lower lip which is divided into three pouches. The color of the pouches depends on subspecies: the common ssp. eriantha has white and bright yellow pouches, and the less common coastal ssp. rosea has white pouches tinged with pink.