Applegate's Paintbrush, Wavy-leaf Paintbrush: Castilleja applegatei var. pinetorum (Synonyms: Castilleja applegatei var. fragilis, Castilleja applegatei ssp. pinetorum, Castilleja pinetorum, Castilleja wherryana)

Applegate's paintbrush is also known as wavy-leaved paintbrush. It is an attractive perennial wildflower with small clusters of ascending to upright stems from 25-60 cm in height. The herbage is covered with gland-tipped hairs. The stems are few- to many-branched with linear and entire lower leaves, the upper leaves frequently broader with a pair of lateral lobes. The leaves are linear to lanceolate in shape, measuring 1.5-4.5 cm long. The leaf margins are conspicuously wavy-margined .

The colors of the glandular inflorescence range from bright red, orange, to yellow. The bracts are as long as , or longer than the flowers, and generally have 1-2 pairs of spreading lateral segments. The calyx is 16-24 mm long the upper surface more deeply cleft (5-12 mm) than the lower surface (4-11 mm). The lateral calyx lobes are 4-5 mm long and ovate in shape wtih rounded tips. The corolla is 18-30 mm long, the slightly curved galea measuring from 10-18 mm long and thus about half the length of the corolla. The lower lip is much reduced in size with incurved teeth

Wavy-leaved paintbrush is interspersed with sagebrush on dry mountain slopes and summits from medium to high elevation.

Wavy-leaved paintbrush may be found from southeastern Oregon south to central California (east of the Sierra Nevada), east through Idaho to Wyoming, Utah and Nevada.

Examples of wavy-leaf paiantbrush as seen near the Antelope Mountain Lookout, Malheur National Forest.......July 3, 2010.

Wavy-leaf paintbrush blooming amongst mountain big sagebrush along the South Loop Road at the upper end of the Rooster Comb, Steens Mountain.........July 9, 2014.

Wavy-leaf paintbrush blooming along the Fremont National Recreation Trail #160 on the northwest-facing upper slopes of Hager Mountain, Fremont National Forest.........May 19, 2016.

Wavy-leaf paintbrush blooming on the Fremont National Recreation Trail #160 high on the southwestern slopes of Twelvemile Peak, Fremont National Forest.....July 16, 2022.

Wavy-leaf paintbrush blooming on the Fremont National Recreation Trail #160 high on the eastern slopes of Crook Peak, Fremont National Forest.....July 17, 2022.

Wavy-leaf paintbrush blooming along the Canyon Mountain Trail, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness...........May 29, 2014. The photo at right shows a close-up of the inflorescence of wavy-leaf paintbrush as seen along the Steins Pillar Trail, Ochoco National Forest.........May 21, 2017.

The photo above shows a close-up of the bract, calyx and corolla of wavy-leaved paintbrush. Photographed along the south loop road of the Steens Mt. Road, southeastern Oregon........June 28, 1998.

A yellow-flowered form of wavyleaf paintbrush as seen at left along the North Loop Road about one mile uphill from Jackman Park, Steens Mountain, Harney County, Washington.........August 31, 2011. The photo at right shows wavyleaf paintbrush as seen in drier prairie along Indian Creek, northwest corner of Big Summit Prairie, Ochoco National Forest......May 27, 2018.

Wavy-leaf paintbrush as seen along Forest Road 22 about 0.3 miles west of the junction with Forest Road 22-400, Ochoco National Forest.........May 10, 2017.

Wavy-leaved paintbrush as seen at left from the north loop of the Steens Mt Road, Steens Mt........August 3, 1995. The photo at right shows wavy-leaved paintbrush as observed along FS Road 33 at the Steins Pillar Viewpoint, Ochoco National Forest.......May 18, 2018.

Wavy-leaved paintbrush observed along FS Road 3915 about one mile north of the California border, Bald Hills in the Mt. Bidwell Recreation Area, Fremont-Winema National Forest........July 31, 2020. The second photo shows it with Modoc sulfur-flower buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum var. modocense).

Wavy-leaved paintbrush fading out of bloom at left along the Fremont National Recreation Trail on the southwest side of Twelvemile Peak, about one-half mile uphill from the Sorth Fork Crooked Creek trailhead, Fremont-Winema National Forest........August 2, 2020. The photo at right shows wavy-leaved paintbrush in bloom along the Bullrun Trail #1961 within on quarter mile of the trailhead, Monument Rock Wilderness.....July 9, 2023.