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Franciscan paint brush, longleaf Indian paintbrush

dense-flower owl's-clover, denseflower Indian paintbrush

Habit Herbs, perennial, 1.8–12 dm; from a woody caudex; with a taproot. Herbs, annual, 0.7–4.7 dm; with fibrous roots.
Stems

solitary or few to many, erect to ascending, often leaning on nearby shrubs (var. jepsonii), unbranched or branched, often with small, leafy axillary shoots, hairs matted to spreading, short and long, soft, mixed with short stipitate-glandular ones.

solitary, erect, branched, sometimes unbranched, glabrous or glabrate proximally, pubescent distally, hairs moderately dense, spreading, short to long, soft, eglandular, often mixed with short stipitate-glandular ones (except var. obispoënsis).

Leaves

green, pale gray-green, sometimes dull reddish purple, linear to narrowly, sometimes broadly, lanceolate, 2–10.5 cm, not fleshy, margins plane, sometimes ± wavy, flat or involute, 0(–3)-lobed, apex acuminate to acute;

lobes spreading, linear to short-lanceolate, often arising near mid length, apex acute to obtuse.

pale green, linear to broadly lanceolate, linear-lanceolate, or ovate, 1.4–9 cm, not fleshy, margins plane, flat or slightly involute, (0–)3–5-lobed, apex acuminate;

lobes ascending, linear to narrowly to sometimes broadly lanceolate, apex acuminate to acute.

Inflorescences

3–30 × 1–7 cm;

bracts green or dull purple throughout, or proximally green or dull purple, distally bright red to orange-red, sometimes salmon, orange, or yellow, usually linear to lanceolate, distal sometimes broadly lanceolate to oblong or elliptic, 0(–3)-lobed;

lobes spreading to erect, linear to oblong or triangular, short or medium length, arising near or above mid length, apex acute to obtuse.

1–16(–20) × 2.5–4 cm;

bracts proximally greenish to deep purple, distally white, or pink to pink-purple or reddish purple on apices, if white sometimes aging pink, lanceolate, 3–5-lobed;

lobes ascending, linear to oblanceolate, long, arising below mid length, apex acute to acuminate.

Corollas

curved proximally, straight to slightly curved distally, 25–57 mm;

tube 15–29 mm;

beak subequal to or exceeding calyx but abaxial lip, beak, and often part of tube usually exserted out abaxial cleft;

beak adaxially green, yellow-green, or yellow, 13–21 mm, margins red, orange, or yellow;

abaxial lip green, yellow, reddish, blackish, or deep red-purple, reduced, protuberant, forming a platform, 1–2 mm, 5–25% as long as beak;

teeth ascending, green, purple sometimes with reddish tip, yellow, or blackish, 0.5–1 mm.

straight, 14–29 mm;

tube expanded distally;

abaxial lip and beak exserted from or equal to calyx;

beak straight, adaxially pink, purple, or white, if white often aging light pink, (4–)5–7 mm, densely puberulent, hairs often stipitate-glandular;

abaxial lip proximally white or pink to deep purple, expanded part white throughout, or proximally white or purple, or green becoming light pink with age, distally white or yellow (sometimes becoming orange with age), purple or maroon spots or blotches on each lobe, inflated, lobes 3, pouches gradually (to abruptly) widened, 4–6 mm wide, 2–3 mm deep, deeper than tall, 3–7 mm, 80–100% as long as beak;

teeth erect, pink, white (often turning pink with age), chartreuse, or purple, sometimes with deep purple spot at base, 1–2.5 mm.

Calyces

proximally pale green, rarely pale purple, distally bright red or red-orange, rarely orange or yellow, or bright red or red-orange throughout, 20–42 mm;

abaxial clefts 13–27 mm, adaxial 7–17 mm, abaxial 40–70% of calyx length, adaxial 12–33% of calyx length, deeper than laterals, lateral 0–7.5 mm, 0–35% of calyx length;

lobes linear to narrowly triangular, strongly curved away from stem proximally and distally obviously curved toward stem, apex acute to acuminate to obtuse.

colored as bracts, 5–20 mm;

abaxial and adaxial clefts 4.7–15 mm, 33–90% of calyx length, slightly deeper than laterals or all 4 clefts subequal, lateral 3–8 mm, 33–60% of calyx length;

lobes linear to narrowly oblanceolate, apex acute.

Filaments

glabrous.

2n

= 24, 48, 72, 96.

= 24.

Castilleja subinclusa

Castilleja densiflora

Distribution
from FNA
CA; nw Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Castilleja subinclusa is divided into three varieties with somewhat discontinuous ranges. Identification of the varieties is often difficult when comparing only a single trait but is more easily accomplished when the characters are considered in a suite. The three varieties are also separable by range and habitat.

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

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Castilleja densiflora is often confused with C. exserta, and both species are broadly overlapping in both range and habitat, often occurring in close proximity. However, intermediates are remarkably rare. The two are most easily separated by the structure and pubescence of the corollas. In addition to the characters mentioned in the key, C. densiflora usually has a bilobed stigma that is exserted from the apex of the corolla with a more or less vertical orientation, while that of C. exserta emerges horizontally and is capitate. These differences are remarkably consistent.

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

Key
1. Corolla beaks adaxially bright yellow, sometimes greenish yellow near apex, margins yellow, rarely orange or red, strongly contrasting with color of calyces; stems and leaves greenish, sometimes dull reddish; lateral calyx clefts 0–4 mm; coastal scrub communities; coastal c California.
var. franciscana
1. Corolla beaks adaxially green to yellow-green, rarely yellow, margins red to orange, rarely yellow, not strongly contrasting with color of calyces; stems and leaves greenish, pale gray-green, or dull reddish; lateral calyx clefts 3–7.5 mm; dry, sandy or rocky slopes, desert scrub, foothill woodlands, chaparral, brushy openings in pine-oak woods; w foothills of Sierra Nevada in c California or sw California.
→ 2
2. Stems and leaves greenish, sometimes dull reddish; bracts (0–)3-lobed; brushy openings in pine-oak woods; mostly in w foothills of Sierra Nevada in c California.
var. subinclusa
2. Stems usually dull reddish; leaves usually pale gray-green to ± ash-colored; bracts 0(–3)-lobed; dry, sandy or rocky slopes, desert scrub, foothill woodlands, chaparral; sw California.
var. jepsonii
1. Bracts distally white, rarely pale yellow; coastal grasslands; San Luis Obispo County, sc California.
var. obispoënsis
1. Bracts distally pink to pink-purple to red-purple, rarely white; near-coastal and interior grasslands; widespread in w California.
→ 2
2. Abaxial lips of corollas appearing slightly inflated, pouches widening gradually, longer than deep, 3–7 mm; calyces 8–20 mm.
var. densiflora
2. Abaxial lips of corollas appearing moderately inflated, pouches widening abruptly, deeper than long, 4–5 mm; calyces 5–11 mm.
var. gracilis
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 657. FNA vol. 17, p. 601.
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. rubida, C. rupicola, C. salsuginosa, C. scabrida, C. schizotricha, C. septentrionalis, C. sessiliflora, 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. 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. subinclusa var. franciscana, C. subinclusa var. jepsonii, C. subinclusa var. subinclusa
C. densiflora var. densiflora, C. densiflora var. gracilis, C. densiflora var. obispoënsis
Synonyms Orthocarpus densiflorus
Name authority Greene: Pittonia 4: 2. (1899) — (as Castilleia) (Bentham) T. I. Chuang & Heckard: Syst. Bot. 16: 656. (1991)
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