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Castilleja angustifolia

narrow-leaf paintbrush, northwestern Indian paintbrush, northwestern paintbrush, violet desert paintbrush

Applegate's Indian paintbrush, Applegate's paintbrush, wavy leaf paintbrush, wavy-leaf Indian paintbrush, waxy-leaf Indian paintbrush

Habit Herbs, perennial, 0.9–3.8(–4) dm; from a woody caudex; with a taproot. Herbs, perennial, (0.8–)1–5(–6) dm; from a branched, woody caudex; with a taproot.
Stems

few to many, ascending to erect, branched, especially near base, sometimes unbranched, hairs sparse to dense, spreading to retrorse, long, sometimes short, soft to stiff, usually mixed with short-glandular ones, sometimes viscid.

few to many, erect, ascending, or decumbent, unbranched or branched, hairs sparse to dense, spreading, long, soft to ± stiff, eglandular, mixed with shorter stipitate-glandular ones.

Leaves

brown or purplish, sometimes green, linear to lanceolate or broadly lanceolate, 1.2–7(–7.5) cm, not fleshy, margins plane, sometimes ± wavy, involute or flat, (0–)3–5-lobed, rarely with secondary lobes, apex acuminate to rounded;

lobes spreading, oblong or lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, apex acute to rounded.

green to purplish or brown, linear to broadly lanceolate, sometimes ovate, 1–6 cm, not fleshy, margins wavy, involute, (0–)3(–5)-lobed, apex rounded or narrowly acute to acuminate;

lobes spreading or ascending, lanceolate to broadly lanceolate, often short, apex acute to rounded.

Inflorescences

2.5–20 × 1.5–5 cm;

bracts proximally greenish or dull purplish, distally pink, magenta, pink-purple, reddish pink, pale yellow, pale yellow-orange, pale orange, or white, rarely reddish or orange-red, lanceolate to oblong, 3–5(–9)-lobed, sometimes with secondary lobes;

lobes spreading or ascending, oblanceolate or linear, proximal lobes often much longer than distal, proximal lobes arising below or a little above mid length, apex acute to rounded.

2–12(–21 in fruit) × 1–5 cm;

bracts proximally green to dull purplish brown, distally red, red-orange, or scarlet, sometimes orange, white, or yellow, rarely with a narrow yellowish band medially, lanceolate, broadly lanceolate, oblong, or lanceolate-ovate, 3–5(–7)-lobed;

lobes spreading to ascending, linear, sometimes expanded near tip, long, arising from ca. mid length, central lobe apex obtuse to rounded, sometimes expanded, others acute, rounded, obtuse, or acuminate.

Corollas

straight, 18–27(–32) mm;

tube 8–17 mm;

beak usually long-exserted, adaxially green or pink, 8–15 mm;

abaxial lip deep green, reduced, inconspicuous, 1–2.5 mm, 5–20% as long as beak;

teeth incurved to ascending, deep green, 0.5–1.5 mm.

straight or curved in proximal 1/3, 16–35(–41) mm;

tube 9–22 mm;

beak usually long-exserted, adaxially green, yellow-green, or yellow, 6–20 mm;

abaxial lip deep green to whitish or yellow, reduced, inconspicuous, protuberant, thickened, included or exserted, 1–3 mm, 5–20% as long as beak;

teeth ascending or incurved, deep green to yellow, 0.5–1 mm.

Calyces

proximally green, yellow, brown, or purple, lobes colored as bract lobes, sometimes with a yellow band between proximal and distal parts, 13–25(–28) mm;

abaxial clefts 3–8 mm, adaxial 5–9(–12) mm, clefts 30–50% of calyx length, deeper than laterals, lateral (1–)1.5–4(–5) mm, 10–25% of calyx length;

lobes lanceolate to oblong, abaxials wider than adaxials, apex acute to rounded.

proximally green or whitish, sometimes yellow, lobes colored as bract lobes, sometimes with a yellow band between proximal and distal portions, 13–25 mm;

abaxial and adaxial clefts 4–14 mm, 33–50% of calyx length, deeper than laterals, lateral 2.5–8 mm, 12–50% of calyx length;

lobes lanceolate-acuminate, narrowly oblong, or narrowly triangular, apex acuminate, acute, or obtuse.

2n

= 24, 48.

Castilleja angustifolia

Castilleja applegatei

Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; NV; OR; SD; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Much confusion exists concerning Castilleja angustifolia and the closely related C. chromosa. Sometimes C. chromosa is treated as a variety of C. angustifolia, using the name C. angustifolia var. dubia. The latter name is used here to represent a different assemblage of plants, not including C. chromosa. At other times, C. chromosa is synonymized completely under C. angustifolia. However, the two species are in most cases easily separable, and where they are sympatric there is little evidence of intergradation. Both C. angustifolia var. dubia and C. chromosa are accepted here. See additional comments under 3b. C. angustifolia var. dubia and 15. C. chromosa.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Varieties 4 (4 in the flora).

Castilleja applegatei is a widespread and often common species, with complex patterns of variation and several common but inconstant color forms, especially in var. pinetorum. Castilleja disticha and C. martini, although sometimes included as subspecies within C. applegatei, are treated as species here. Both are more morphologically divergent and more easily distinguished from typical C. applegatei than are the four varieties accepted here. Variety pinetorum is the most widespread form and also occurs over a wider range of elevations than the other three varieties, which are primarily montane to subalpine and occasionally alpine.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Bracts distally usually pink to pink-purple; s Idaho, sw Montana, se Oregon, nw Wyoming.
var. angustifolia
1. Bracts distally yellow, yellow-orange, pale orange, white, pink, reddish pink, or magenta; se Idaho, e Nevada, sw South Dakota, w Utah, ec Wyoming.
→ 2
2. Bracts distally usually yellow to pale orange or white; ec Wyoming, adjacent sw South Dakota.
var. dubia
2. Bracts distally usually yellow, yellow-orange, white, pink, or reddish pink; se Idaho, e Nevada, w Utah.
var. flavescens
1. Corollas 25–41 mm, beaks 9–20 mm, tubes 15–22 mm; leaves usually 0–3-lobed.
→ 2
2. Corollas 34–41 mm; herbs 1–2.5(–3.5) dm; 2100–2800 m; Crater Lake to Newberry Crater, Cascade Range, Oregon.
var. applegatei
2. Corollas 25–35 mm; herbs 1.2–6 dm; 300–3600 m; California to Oregon and Idaho.
var. pinetorum
1. Corollas 16–31 mm, beaks 6–14 mm, tubes 9–14 mm; leaves usually 3–5-lobed.
→ 3
3. Corolla beaks 6–10 mm; abaxial and adaxial calyx clefts (4–)5–8(–10) mm.
var. breweri
3. Corolla beaks 9–14 mm; abaxial and adaxial calyx clefts 7–14 mm.
var. viscida
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 586. FNA vol. 17, p. 587.
Parent taxa Orobanchaceae > Castilleja Orobanchaceae > Castilleja
Sibling taxa
C. affinis, C. ambigua, C. applegatei, C. aquariensis, C. arachnoidea, C. attenuata, C. brevilobata, C. brevistyla, C. campestris, C. cervina, C. chambersii, C. chlorotica, C. christii, C. chromosa, C. chrymactis, C. chrysantha, C. cinerea, C. citrina, C. coccinea, C. collegiorum, C. covilleana, C. crista-galli, C. cryptantha, C. cusickii, C. densiflora, C. dissitiflora, C. disticha, C. elata, C. elegans, C. elmeri, C. exserta, C. flava, C. foliolosa, C. fraterna, C. genevieveana, C. glandulifera, C. gleasoni, C. gracillima, C. grisea, C. haydenii, C. hispida, C. hololeuca, C. hyperborea, C. indivisa, C. integra, C. kaibabensis, C. kerryana, C. kraliana, C. lacera, C. lanata, C. lasiorhyncha, C. lassenensis, C. latifolia, C. lemmonii, C. leschkeana, C. levisecta, C. linariifolia, C. lindheimeri, C. lineariloba, C. lineata, C. litoralis, C. lutescens, C. martini, C. mendocinensis, C. mexicana, C. miniata, C. minor, C. mogollonica, C. mollis, C. montigena, C. nana, C. nelsonii, C. nervata, C. nivea, C. occidentalis, C. oresbia, C. organorum, C. ornata, C. pallescens, C. pallida, C. parviflora, C. parvula, C. patriotica, C. peckiana, C. peirsonii, C. pilosa, C. plagiotoma, C. praeterita, C. pruinosa, C. puberula, C. pulchella, C. purpurascens, C. purpurea, C. raupii, C. revealii, C. rhexiifolia, C. rigida, C. rubicundula, C. rubida, C. rupicola, C. salsuginosa, C. scabrida, C. schizotricha, C. septentrionalis, C. sessiliflora, C. subinclusa, C. suksdorfii, C. tenuiflora, C. tenuis, C. thompsonii, C. tomentosa, C. uliginosa, C. unalaschcensis, C. victoriae, C. viscidula, C. wightii, C. wootonii, C. xanthotricha
C. affinis, C. ambigua, C. angustifolia, C. aquariensis, C. arachnoidea, C. attenuata, C. brevilobata, C. brevistyla, C. campestris, C. cervina, C. chambersii, C. chlorotica, C. christii, C. chromosa, C. chrymactis, C. chrysantha, C. cinerea, C. citrina, C. coccinea, C. collegiorum, C. covilleana, C. crista-galli, C. cryptantha, C. cusickii, C. densiflora, C. dissitiflora, C. disticha, C. elata, C. elegans, C. elmeri, C. exserta, C. flava, C. foliolosa, C. fraterna, C. genevieveana, C. glandulifera, C. gleasoni, C. gracillima, C. grisea, C. haydenii, C. hispida, C. hololeuca, C. hyperborea, C. indivisa, C. integra, C. kaibabensis, C. kerryana, C. kraliana, C. lacera, C. lanata, C. lasiorhyncha, C. lassenensis, C. latifolia, C. lemmonii, C. leschkeana, C. levisecta, C. linariifolia, C. lindheimeri, C. lineariloba, C. lineata, C. litoralis, C. lutescens, C. martini, C. mendocinensis, C. mexicana, C. miniata, C. minor, C. mogollonica, C. mollis, C. montigena, C. nana, C. nelsonii, C. nervata, C. nivea, C. occidentalis, C. oresbia, C. organorum, C. ornata, C. pallescens, C. pallida, C. parviflora, C. parvula, C. patriotica, C. peckiana, C. peirsonii, C. pilosa, C. plagiotoma, C. praeterita, C. pruinosa, C. puberula, C. pulchella, C. purpurascens, C. purpurea, C. raupii, C. revealii, C. rhexiifolia, C. rigida, C. rubicundula, C. rubida, C. rupicola, C. salsuginosa, C. scabrida, C. schizotricha, C. septentrionalis, C. sessiliflora, C. subinclusa, C. suksdorfii, C. tenuiflora, C. tenuis, C. thompsonii, C. tomentosa, C. uliginosa, C. unalaschcensis, C. victoriae, C. viscidula, C. wightii, C. wootonii, C. xanthotricha
Subordinate taxa
C. angustifolia var. angustifolia, C. angustifolia var. dubia, C. angustifolia var. flavescens
C. applegatei var. applegatei, C. applegatei var. breweri, C. applegatei var. pinetorum, C. applegatei var. viscida
Synonyms Euchroma angustifolia
Name authority (Nuttall) G. Don: Gen. Hist. 4: 616. 1837/1838 Fernald: Erythea 6: 49. (1898) — (as Castilleia)
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