4) Castilleja (Indian paintbrush)

One of the best sources of Orobanchaceae photos around.

Submitted by Weiser on Sat, 11/19/2011 - 13:55

Mark Egger's exceptional and extensive collection of Orobanchaceae photos is amazing. I use it as a reference often. I hope you all enjoy browsing through it.
You will also find nice smaller sets of photos from Family Phrymaceae, Family Calceolariaceae, genus Calochortus, genus Penstemon, genus Delphinium, genus Aquilegia, Family Lamiaceae, Family Orchidaceae.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_egger_castilleja/

Castilleja nana

Submitted by Weiser on Sat, 11/19/2011 - 13:48

Castilleja nana grows in dry, rocky alpine habitat. From the Sierra Nevada range east through Nevada with a toe hold in western Utah. You find it growing at elevations of 6500'-12000' (2000-3700m) It stands about 6"-10" (15-25cm) tall.

Castilleja miniata

Submitted by Lori S. on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 22:17

Castilleja miniata is one of our native species, which has been doing nicely out in the front yard from 3 plants purchased from a local grower 9 years ago, and has been producing a small number of seedlings in the last few years.
Emerging mid-May, and in bloom by mid-June this late year:

Colour variations:

Multi-hue Castilleja Site

Submitted by cohan on Sun, 02/27/2011 - 22:04

These plants are from a spot just a few miles up the road from me (mentioned in my Alberta Wanderings post today)--on the edge of a semi open poplar woodland, amongst fairly heavy growth of saplings, grasses and forbs, and out into the more open roadside, this wonderful colony of mixed colour Castillejas is found.
I've assumed them to be miniata, since that's the only species supposedly in my area, and it does have some variation in colour, but I really wonder if there could be something else in the mix here?

Castilleja chromosa (syn. Castilleja angustifolia var. dubia)

Submitted by Weiser on Mon, 05/24/2010 - 13:37

The paint brush I am most familiar with is Castilleja chromosa(syn. Castilleja angustifolia var. dubia) found growing in the Great Basin high desert steppe comunities across the west.
There is some debate as to whether the correct name is "chromosa" or "angustifolia". I have given up changing the name. It doesn't matter what you call it, it's still a nice species.

Not quite a paintbrush.... Scrophularia chrysantha

Submitted by Kelaidis on Wed, 04/21/2010 - 08:11

The Scrophs (or is it now Plantaginaceae?) are split between Penstemon, Castilleja and Veronica...which leaves out a few odd ball cousins like Paederota, Synthyris, Calceolaria and a few other wierdies I have an excessive fondness for...including Scrophularia. This is actually quite a large genus of mostly rather homely plants, although I am quite fond of many of them due to sheer stubborness or perversity. Who knows.