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Castilleja chambersii

Chambers' Indian paintbrush, Chambers' paintbrush

hairy paintbrush, parrot-head Indian paintbrush, pilose paintbrush

Habit Herbs, perennial, 1.5–3.7 dm; from a thick, woody caudex; with a taproot. Herbs, perennial, (0.7–)1.2–3.5(–4.4) dm; from a woody caudex; with a stout taproot.
Stems

solitary or few to several, ascending, sometimes short-decumbent and rooting, branched from near base, sometimes distally, glabrous or glabrate with hairs very sparse, ± appressed, very short, soft, eglandular.

several to many, ascending to erect, sometimes short-decumbent, branched or unbranched, sometimes with short, leafy axillary shoots, hairs moderately dense, retrorse or curved to spreading, straight, curly, or ± wavy, medium length to long, soft to stiff, eglandular.

Leaves

green, often brown- or purple-tinged, oblong to lanceolate to narrowly ovate or ovate, (1–)2–5.8 cm, not fleshy, margins plane, ± involute, deeply 3–7(–11)-lobed, sometimes with secondary lobes, apex narrowly acute;

lobes erect to ascending, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate to oblanceolate, apex acute.

green to purple, linear to lanceolate, 1–5.5(–8) cm, not fleshy, margins plane to ± wavy, involute, 0–5(–7)-lobed, apex acuminate to obtuse;

lobes widely spreading to ascending-spreading, linear to filiform, apex acute or obtuse.

Inflorescences

3–15 × 2–4.5 cm;

bracts proximally greenish, distally bright red, scarlet, or pale reddish orange, rarely orange-yellow, often fading to pale yellowish orange with age, obovate to orbicular, fan-shaped, (3–)5–9(–13)-lobed, sometimes with secondary lobes;

lobes erect or ascending, lanceolate to triangular, short and medium length, usually arising at or above mid length, rarely below, apex acute.

(2–)3.5–16 × 1–3.5 cm;

bracts light green, green, yellow-green, light purple, purple, light dusky pink, salmon, or reddish brown throughout, or these colors proximally, distally or on distal margins white, pale yellow, yellow, pale salmon, or buff, sometimes becoming reddish purple with age, lanceolate to broadly lanceolate or narrowly ovate, 3–5(–9)-lobed, often wavy-margined;

lobes spreading to erect or ascending, linear to oblanceolate, short to long, arising near or above mid length, sometimes wavy-margined, central lobe apex obtuse to rounded or truncate, sometimes acute, lateral ones acute to obtuse.

Corollas

straight, 30–45 mm;

tube 14–19 mm;

beak long-exserted, adaxially green or yellow-green to brownish, 18–24 mm;

abaxial lip deep green, reduced, 1–3 mm, 10% as long as beak;

teeth incurved, greenish to dull purplish, 0.5–1.5 mm.

straight, 14–23 mm;

tube 10–15;

abaxial lip sometimes partially exserted, beak exserted;

beak adaxially green or yellow-green, 3–7 mm;

abaxial lip proximally green, pale yellow, pale or bright pink, or deep purple, distally white to pink or purplish, inflated, pouches 3, deeply furrowed, 2.5–8 mm, 50–100% as long as beak;

teeth erect, green, white, buff, pink, or pale yellow, 1–2 mm.

Calyces

proximally green, sometimes purple to brown, distally colored as bracts, 20–30 mm;

abaxial and adaxial clefts 7–14 mm, ca. 33% of calyx length, deeper than laterals, lateral 2–4 mm, 10–15% of calyx length;

lobes triangular, barely longer than wide, apex acute or acuminate to obtuse.

proximally whitish to pale green, distally green, whitish, pink, or yellowish, 9–28 mm; all 4 clefts subequal, 2–12 mm, 45–55% of calyx length;

lobes linear to narrowly lanceolate or narrowly triangular, rarely deltoid, apex acute, rarely rounded.

2n

= 24.

= 24, 48, 96.

Castilleja chambersii

Castilleja pilosa

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Turf or crevices on rocky slopes and benches over basalt, se to sw aspect, sun or partial shade.
Elevation 600–1000 m. (2000–3300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; NV; OR; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Castilleja chambersii is limited to the summits of three volcanic peaks in the northern Coast Range of Clatsop County, Oregon, and at one similar area in nearby Pacific County, Washington. It is similar to C. rupicola, and the two likely share a common ancestor. Disturbance and erosion from logging and road construction represent significant threats to C. chambersii. Populations of C. chambersii often grow near and even alongside C. hispida, but hybrids are rare.

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

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Castilleja pilosa is a widespread and variable complex similar in growth form and coloration to C. pallescens and related species. However, C. pilosa is distinguished with relative ease by its subequally divided calyces. Plants of the C. pallescens complex have very shallow lateral calyx lobes.

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

Key
1. Calyces 9–15(–20) mm; c, se Idaho, nw Wyoming, adjacent Montana.
var. longispica
1. Calyces (11–)14–28 mm; ne California, nw Nevada, e Oregon.
→ 2
2. Stem hairs spreading, ± wavy or curly, soft, (0.4–)0.8–1.3(–1.5) mm; sagebrush steppes, rocky slopes, ridges, seasonally moist meadows or pools, conifer forests, montane to subalpine; 500–2000(–3500) m; ne California, nw Nevada, e Oregon.
var. pilosa
2. Stem hairs retrorse or spreading, ± curved, stiff, 0.5–0.8(–1) mm; rocky slopes, ledges, dry meadows, sagebrush steppes, subalpine to alpine, volcanic soils; (1900–)2000–2900 m; Steens Mountain, se Oregon.
var. steenensis
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 593. FNA vol. 17, p. 644.
Parent taxa Orobanchaceae > Castilleja Orobanchaceae > Castilleja
Sibling taxa
C. affinis, C. ambigua, C. angustifolia, C. applegatei, C. aquariensis, C. arachnoidea, C. attenuata, C. brevilobata, C. brevistyla, C. campestris, C. cervina, 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. 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. 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. pilosa var. longispica, C. pilosa var. pilosa, C. pilosa var. steenensis
Synonyms Orthocarpus pilosus
Name authority J. M. Egger & Meinke: Brittonia 51: 445, fig. 1. (1999) (S. Watson) Rydberg: Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 1: 361. (1900)
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