Habitat: Dry rocky slopes, often with granitic or limestone soils found in the Trans-Pecos. References: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston and SEINet. Leaves: Alternate, undivided stem leaves with linear to linear-lanceolate reddish-green blades, 3/4 to 2-3/4 inches long, with entire, curled edges upper surfaces smooth, lower hairy.įlowers comprised of petals fused into a two-lipped, dark to light green corolla tube 1 to 1-3/4 inches long protruding beyond the surrounding, showy scarlet to red-orange calyx calyx 3/4 to 1-3/8-inches long, divided into 4 unequal segments each flower subtended by a showy bract the same color as the calyx lobes, longer than the flower (3/4 to 1-5/8 inches long), obovate, hairy, and usually entire but occasionally divided into 3 acute lobes, the side lobes much smaller than the central lobe a few to several flower and bract combinations arranged in showy, dense terminal spikes 3/4 to 4 inches long. Plant: Erect perennial 4 to 20 inches tall with one to several unbranched stems covered with white woolly hairs. Habitat: Dry, gravelly soils of flats, canyons and hillsides in far West Texas and Big Bend areas and north. Wholeleaf Indian Paintbrush, Indian Paintbrush, Squawfeather References: "Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country" by Marshall Enquist, "Wildflowers of Texas" by Geyata Ajilvsgi and BONAP Distribution Map Inflorescence: Showy, comprising inconspicuous greenish-white tubular flowers with a corolla about 1 inch long and protruding style and stigma, surrounded by a colorful lobed calyx, usually red, but can be light yellow or rarely white one rhombic to broadly oblanceolate, leaf-like, brightly-colored bract below a few to several flower and bract combinations arranged in showy terminal spikes 3 to 8 inches long. Leaves: Alternate, stalkless, linear to lanceolate, usually with entire margins or sometimes lobed near base 1 to 4 inches long. Plant: Erect, clump-forming annual 8-18 inches tall with unbranched, hairy stems. It is present in most of the eastern states, including those bordering the Mississippi River, as well as Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.Habitat: Sandy or calcareous soils of open areas, prairies and roadsides generally from Central Texas east. This species likes sand and grows in both prairies and open woods. Ironically, this plant was used by Native Americans as both a love charm in food and as a poison used to against their enemies, as this species is known to have toxic properties. Seeds are contained in a chambered capsule with two divisions, and once ripe, the capsules split open and wind action helps scatter the up to three hundred seeds within each capsule. Although seeds can germinate the same season as when they are released, usually they germinate the following spring and produce a basal rosette that will flower the following season. Also, the lack of a lower petal lip denies insects a perch to rest on, favoring hovering organisms like bees and hummingbirds. Hummingbirds have long bills that allow them to reach the nectar rewards at the end of long, tubular flowers. However, like most red flowers, this species is especially adapted for pollination by hummingbirds. This is somewhat surprising since the color red is difficult for insects to see. A variety of insects visit paintbrush flowers, especially bees. Despite being obligate parasites for part of their lives, these plants do rely on pollinators for reproduction. These plants are hemiparasites, meaning that although these plants are green and can photosynthesize, they also have the ability to sequester nutrients from other organisms, in this case, from perennial grasses. lutescens), as well as a separate closely related species that also has yellow bracts ( Castilleja sessiliflora). Also, there is a form of this species that has yellow bracts ( Castilleja coccinea f. The actual flower petals are rather inconspicuous, although the tip of the sepals are tinged with red as well. The showy red structures are technically bracts, a type of modified leaf, and not petals. The genus name “ Castilleja” is named after Spanish botanist Domingo Castillejo, and “ coccinea” means “red,” referring to the red bracts that surround the flowers. This plant is also called painted cup for the showy cup-like bracts. This species was formerly placed in the Figwort family (Scrophullariaceae), which was a hodgepodge of genera that didn’t fit well in other families. Indian paintbrush is an attractive member of the parasitic Broomrape family (Orobancaceae).
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