Castilleja pilosa

Castilleja pilosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Orobanchaceae
Genus:	Castilleja
Species:	C. pilosa
Binomial name
	Castilleja pilosa; (S.Wats.) Rydb.

Castilleja pilosa is a species of Indian paintbrush known by the common name parrothead Indian paintbrush. It is native to the western United States from California to Wyoming, where it grows in mountain and plateau habitat across the Great Basin and surrounding regions. It is known from sagebrush scrub to high mountains in alpine climates.

Description

This wildflower is a perennial herb growing upright or along the ground with hairy stems up to about 35 centimeters long. It is quite variable in appearance. The inflorescence is made up of layers of greenish, purplish, or pink bracts sometimes edged in white. Between the bracts bloom the pouched yellow-green flowers with protruding stigmas.

Varieties

There are several varieties of this species:

Castilleja pilosa var. longispica (longspike Indian paintbrush) - limited to Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming
Castilleja pilosa var. pilosa - limited to California, Oregon, and Nevada
Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Steens Indian paintbrush) - endemic to Oregon

External links

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