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little reddish Indian paintbrush, purple alpine paintbrush, purple paintbrush, Wallowa alpine paintbrush

hairy paintbrush, parrot-head Indian paintbrush, pilose paintbrush

Habit Herbs, perennial, 0.5–1.5 dm; from a 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

several, decumbent, or ascending, unbranched, hairs moderately dense, spreading, short and long, soft, eglandular and glandular.

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 to purple, linear to narrowly lanceolate, 0.7–3.2 cm, not fleshy, margins plane, slightly involute, 3–5-lobed, apex narrowly acute to acuminate;

lobes ascending-spreading, narrowly linear to filiform, often curling, often short, apex acute or obtuse.

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

2.5–6 × 1–2 cm;

bracts purple, deep burgundy, or lavender throughout, rarely pink or yellowish white throughout, sometimes pink or dull whitish on distal margins and apices, oblong, 3–5(–7)-lobed;

lobes spreading, linear, medium length, proximal lobes arising below mid length, center lobe apex rounded to obtuse, lateral ones acute to obtuse.

(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, 12–15 mm;

tube 14–16 mm;

abaxial lip and beak exserted;

beak adaxially green, 5–6 mm;

abaxial lip colored as distal portion of bracts, prominent, pouches 3, central one grooved, pouches not strongly inflated, 4–5 mm, 80–100% as long as beak;

teeth erect, appressed to beak, colored as distal portions of bracts, 1.5–2.5 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

colored as bracts, 10–12 mm; all 4 clefts subequal, 3.5–6.5 mm, 35–55% of calyx length;

lobes broadly linear or linear-triangular, apex obtuse to acute.

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.

Stigmas

green.

2n

= 24, 48, 96.

Castilleja rubida

Castilleja pilosa

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug.
Habitat Rocky slopes, ledges, dry to moist gravelly flats and ridges, alpine, limestone, rarely on river cobbles at lower elevations.
Elevation 2200–3000 m. (7200–9800 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
OR
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; NV; OR; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Castilleja rubida is a rare alpine species endemic to a few limestone peaks in the Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon, entirely within the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area. It is likely derived from the C. nana complex, found in the mountains of eastern California and Nevada, but it is amply distinct. Due to its very limited range and small population numbers, C. rubida is a species of conservation concern.

(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. 653. 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. 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. 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 Piper: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 27: 398. (1900) — (as Castilleia) (S. Watson) Rydberg: Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 1: 361. (1900)
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