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Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis

Steen's Mountain paintbrush, Steens Indian paintbrush

Photo is of parent taxon

hairy paintbrush, parrothead Indian paintbrush

Stems

hairs retrorse or spreading, ± curved, stiff, 0.5–0.8(–1) mm.

hairs spreading, ± wavy or curly, soft, (0.4–)0.8–1.3(–1.5) mm.

Leaf

lobes widely spreading.

lobes widely spreading to ascending-spreading.

Inflorescences

2.5–10 cm;

bracts proximally greenish, light dusky pink, or salmon, with margins or distal portions the same color or yellow or white, 3–5-lobed;

lobes spreading to ascending, short to long, arising below mid length.

(2–)3.5–15 cm;

bracts proximally green, sometimes pinkish, reddish brown, or light purple with margins or distal portions pale yellow or whitish, (3–)5(–9)-lobed;

lobes spreading to erect, medium length to long, arising near to above mid length.

Corolla

beaks 4.5–6.5 mm;

abaxial lip purple or pink, sometimes pale yellow, distally sometimes white, 3.5–6 mm, 75–100% as long as beak;

teeth white or pale yellow.

beaks 3–5 mm;

abaxial lip green, sometimes pink or pale yellow, 3.5–8 mm, 70–100% as long as beak;

teeth green, white, pink, buff, or pale yellow.

Calyces

(12–)14–20(–28) mm;

abaxial and adaxial clefts 5–12 mm, 45–50% of calyx length, lateral 5–12 mm, 45–50% of calyx length;

lobes linear to lanceolate.

(11–)14–28 mm;

abaxial and adaxial clefts 5–7 mm, 45–50% of calyx length, lateral 5–7 mm, 45–55% of calyx length;

lobes narrowly lanceolate.

2n

= 24.

Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis

Castilleja pilosa var. pilosa

Phenology Flowering May–Aug. Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Rocky slopes, ledges, dry meadows, sagebrush steppes, subalpine to alpine, volcanic soils. Sagebrush steppes, rocky slopes, ridges, seasonally moist meadows or pools, conifer forests, montane to subalpine.
Elevation (1900–)2000–2900 m. ((6200–)6600–9500 ft.) 500–2000(–3500) m. (1600–6600(–11500) ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
OR
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NV; OR
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Variety steenensis is endemic to the upper elevations of Steens Mountain in Harney County. It appears distinct when seen in its dwarfed form on the highest slopes; some transitional plants exist at lower elevations where it encounters var. pilosa. Genetic studies of this complex are in progress.

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

Variety pilosa is found in sagebrush steppes and communities in the surrounding mountains from northeastern California through much of eastern Oregon, and northwestern Nevada. The inflorescences are almost always pale yellowish white when young and often turn dull reddish purple with age, especially proximally. This variety is sometimes confused with the high-elevation species Castilleja nana; it can usually be distinguished by the absence of blackish patches on the sides of the corolla tube, which are present in C. nana.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 645. FNA vol. 17, p. 645.
Parent taxa Orobanchaceae > Castilleja > Castilleja pilosa Orobanchaceae > Castilleja > Castilleja pilosa
Sibling taxa
C. pilosa var. longispica, C. pilosa var. pilosa
C. pilosa var. longispica, C. pilosa var. steenensis
Synonyms C. steenensis C. pilosa subsp. jusselii, C. psittacina
Name authority (Pennell) N. H. Holmgren: in A. Cronquist et al., Intermount. Fl. 4: 480. (1984) unknown
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