Castilleja miniata |
Castilleja miniata var. dixonii |
|
---|---|---|
common paintbrush, scarlet paintbrush |
Dixon's paintbrush |
|
Habit | Perennial herb to 80 cm tall; stems in small clusters, often branched above. | |
Leaves | Simple, narrow with pointed tip; inflorescence leaves and bracts bright red, sometimes with a few small lobes. |
|
Flowers | Inconspicuous, greenish, tubular flowers, surrounded by a much showier bright red calyx and inflorescence bracts. |
|
Fruits | 2-celled capsules with many seeds. |
|
Comments | Our most common Castilleja in the mountians. |
|
Castilleja miniata |
Castilleja miniata var. dixonii |
|
Identification notes | A few traits to look for include the narrow unlobed leaves; bright red inflorescence; sharply pointed calyx lobes, and greenish flowers much longer than calyx. Castilleja is a difficult genus; consult technical keys. | Leaves are thicker, broader, and more blunt at tip compared to var. miniata; restricted to immediate coastal areas at low elevations. |
Flowering time | May-September | May-August |
Habitat | Mountain meadows and slopes; also on coastal bluffs; widespread and common. | Coastal bluffs and sand dunes. |
Distribution | Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains and Great Lakes region.
|
Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; southwestern British Columbia to northwestern Oregon. |
Origin | Native | Native |
Conservation status | Not of concern | Not of concern |
Sibling taxa | ||
Subordinate taxa | ||
Web links |
|
|