Martin's Paintbrush
Indian Paintbrush
Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii
Color: Red
Common name: Martin's Paintbrush, wavyleaf Indian paintbrush
Latin name: Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii
Family: OROBANCHACEAE
Height: 12 to 31 inches tall.
Description: Numerous erect stems with bright, red-to-orange, flower-like tips. The actual flower is tube-shaped almost hidden within the colourful bracts. Like others in the genus, this is a semi-parasitic plant.
Leaf: 20–70 mm, ± lanceolate, lobes 0–3, generally wavy-margined — one of the distinguishing characteristics of this species.
Range: Inner North Coast Ranges, e San Francisco Bay Area, Inner South Coast Ranges, Southwestern California, East of Sierra Nevada, Desert Mountains
Habitat: Dry chaparral, open yellow-pine forest, sagebrush scrub.
Elevation: 300–2800 m.
Flowering time: May–Sep
Notes: Photographed June 6, 2009 in the San Gabriel Mtns., Lightning Ridge Nature Trail, Los Angeles County, Calif. A dicot, is a perennial herb that is native to California and is found only slightly beyond California borders. Distribution outside California: n Baja California, s Nevada. Like others in the Castilleja species, it is hemiparasitic — partially parasitic — but makes some of its own food.
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