Bishop's cap is a common name applied to several distinct biological species and geographical features, generally characterized by a shape resembling a liturgical mitre.
In botany, the term most frequently refers to the genus Mitella, a group of perennial flowering plants in the family Saxifragaceae. Mitella diphylla, or the two-leaf bishop's cap, is native to eastern North America and is distinguished by its small, white, bell-shaped flowers with fringed petals. The name is derived from the plant's seed pod, which, upon splitting, resembles a bishop's headpiece. Additionally, "bishop's cap cactus" is a common name for Astrophytum myriostigma, a spineless cactus native to the Chihuahuan Desert in Mexico. This species is known for its globose or columnar body and prominent ribs, which give it a distinctive geometric appearance.
In geography, Bishop's Cap is a prominent limestone peak located in the southern Organ Mountains of Doña Ana County, New Mexico. The site is significant in the field of paleontology due to the Bishop's Cap Cave, where excavations have uncovered fossils from the Pleistocene epoch, including remains of extinct ground sloths and various avian species.
The term may also be used as a descriptive name for the mitre itself, the ceremonial headwear worn by bishops and other high-ranking clergy in several Christian denominations, including the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican churches. In architecture, the term is occasionally used to describe a specific style of roof or decorative element that mirrors this triangular, peaked form.