The plant is named for the flower which resembles a nestlings beak pointing upward. Salt Marsh Bird's beak is a hemiparasite that both photosyntheses and attaches to a host plant. This endangered annual forb's natural range extends along the Pacific Coast from Central California into Northern Baja California. This years bloom has come early, the plants life cycle probably accelerated due to drought conditions. Hairs on the plant help collect dew, a useful adaptation during drought.