[Paintbrushes: The Genus Castilleja East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush

Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis

Synonym: Castilleja steenensis

Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis)

Steen's Mountain paintbrush as seen along the summit ridge of the Steens Mountain, Harney County, OR...............September 1, 2011.

Characteristics:

Hairy paintbrush is a perennial wildflower of arid areas east of the Cascades. The clusters of erect stems ascend from 10-35 cm high from spreading bases. The herbage ranges from coarse, straight hairs to woolly, spreading or retrorse, nonglandular hairs. The narrowly linear leaves are 3-5.5 cm long. The lower leaves have entire margins while the upper leaves have 1-2 pairs of linear or thin lateral lobes.

The yellowish-green, pale green or purplish inflorescence is nonglandular. The calyx is 10-18 mm long with the 4 linear to lanceolate segments roughly equally divided, each measuring 4-7 mm long. The corolla is 15-20 mm long. The lower lip is well-developed into 3 sac-like lobes 2.5-5 mm long and is almost as long as the galea, which ranges from 3-5 mm long.


Varieties:

var. longispica- Calyx 9-15 mm long. Herbage of curved, spreading or retorse hairs. Found from central Idaho east to northwestern Wyoming and southwestern Montana.

var. pilosa- Calyx 14-28 mm long. Hairs fine, more or less curly. Found below 2000 meters from southeastern Oregon northwestern Nevada and northeastern California. In Oregon, this variety may be found in Crook, Wheeler, Grant, Klamath, Lake, and northern Harney and Malheur Counties.

var. steenensis- Calyx 14-28 mm long. Hairs coarse, reflexed to spreading. Found above 2000 meters on Steens Mt.


Habitat:

Hairy paintbrush may be found in dry soils amongst sagebrush and juniper in the plains to well up into the mountains.


Range:

Hairy paintbrush may be found from southeastern Oregon and northeastern California and northwestern Nevada east across central Idaho to southwestern Montana and northwestern Wyoming.


Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis) - Bracts and stem leaf of Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis)

Bracts (bottom), calyx lobes and corolla of Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis) - Corolla tube of Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis)

Inflorescence of Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis) - Ventral view of the calyx lobes and corolla tube of Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis) - Bracts, calyx and galea of Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis) - Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis)

Steen's Mountain paintbrush as seen along the summit ridge of the Steens Mountain, Harney County, OR.........September 1, 2011.

Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis) - Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis)

Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis) - Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis)

Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis) - Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis) - Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis) - Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis)

Steens Mountain paintbrush as seen at the crest of the Steens Mountain near the East Rim Viewpoint.........July 11, 2014.

Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis)

Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis) - Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis) - Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis)

Steen's Mountain paintbrush as seen at about 9200' at the head of Little Blitzen Gorge, Steens Mountain, Harney County, OR.........September 1, 2011. The upper photo shows Steens Mt. paintbrush in close association with low mountain lupine (Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii) and a fescue grass (Festuca sp.).

Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis)

What appears to be Steen's Mountain paintbrush beginning to bloom along the Steens Mountain North Loop Road several miles below Fish Lake........June 2, 2012. This photo was taken very early in the bloom period, probably within a week of snow coming off the site.

Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis)

Steen's Mountain paintbrush as seen at the head of Kiger Gorge, Steens Mountain........July 9, 2014.


Steens Mountain Paintbrush, Steenes Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis (Synonym: Castilleja steenensis)

Photo above of Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis from 9400' on Steens Mt, SE Oregon.......August 3, 1995

Paul Slichter