Castilleja chromosa
| Castilleja chromosa | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Orobanchaceae |
| Genus: | Castilleja |
| Species: | C. chromosa
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| Binomial name | |
| Castilleja chromosa A.Nelson
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Castilleja chromosa, the desert paintbrush, is a species of broomrape found in the western United States. They are distributed in dry scrub, steppe, and desert.[1][2]
Description
The desert paintbrush, which blooms between May and September, has large, colourful inflorescences up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in) long, and approximately 2-centimetre (0.79 in) flowers. The bracts are often confused with the petals; the upper half of the bracts are orange or bright red, occasionally yellow. The actual flowers are green, tubular, and unremarkable. The fruits are less than 2 centimetres (0.79 in) long; the seeds, 2 mm (0.079 in). The plant grows between 15 and 45 centimetres (0.49 and 1.48 ft); its is greyish-green in appearance, with small (<1 cm) lance-shaped and alternate leaves. The plant is slightly bristly and its stems to do not branch very much.[1][3][4][5]
Taxonomy
The desert paintbrush is similar to, and often confused with, Castilleja angustifolia.[2][4] It is also known as the "desert Indian paintbrush" – Indian in the context referring to Indigenous people.[4]
Habitat and ecology
The desert paintbrush is distributed in the states of Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, California, Colorado, and New Mexico.[1] It grows in sagebrush scrub and other arid or rocky habitats, including deserts. The plants are actually partially parasitic, using their haustoria to take some, but not all, of the nutrition they require from other plants. Asteraceae are common hosts. Pollinators of the plant include butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees.[4][3][5]
References
- ^ a b c "Castilleja chromosa". ucjeps.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
- ^ a b "Castilleja chromosa | Desert Paintbrush | Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest". www.pnwflowers.com. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
- ^ a b Nelson, Aven (1899). "New Plants from Wyoming. VII.". Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. Vol. v.26 (1899). New York: Torrey Botanical Club.
- ^ a b c d Kennedy, Judy (2018). "Desert Indian Paintbrush". Aquilegia. Vol. v.42:no.1 (2018). [Fort Collins, Colo.]: Colorado Native Plant Society.
- ^ a b "Southwest Colorado Wildflowers, Castilleja chromosa". www.swcoloradowildflowers.com. Retrieved 2024-12-14.