[The Figwort Family in the Cascade Mts.]
The Paintbrush of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington

The Genus Castilleja

Wenatchee Mountains Paintbrush, Elmer's Paintbrush: Castilleja elmeri

Wenatchee Mountains Paintbrush: Castilleja elmeri
Paintbrushes of the Cascade Mountains:

Violet Desert Paintbrush: Castilleja angustifolia var. angustifolia - ? One record for the Cascades of Lane County.

Applegate's Paintbrush: Castilleja applegatei var. applegatei -

Wavyleaf Paintbrush: Castileja applegatei var. pinetorum -

Cotton Paintbrush, Cobwebby Paintbrush: Castilleja arachnoidea (former var. arachnoidea) - Yellow to reddish-orange bracts. Leaves branch into many segments. Covered with many short hairs. Plants grow in small clumps or clusters.

Narrowleaf Paintbrush, Valley Tassels, Attenuate Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja attenuata (formerly Orthocarpus attenuatus) -

Short-lobed Paintbrush: Castilleja brevilobata (formerly Castilleja hispida ssp. brevilobata) -

Green-tinged Paintbrush: Castilleja chlorotica -

Desert Paintbrush: Castilleja chromosa (formerly Castilleja angustifolia var. dubia) - Foothills around Sisters, OR.

Mount Rainier Paintbrush, Obscure Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja cryptantha -

Elmer's Paintbrush: Castilleja elmeri - Yellow bracts. Thin, pointed leaves. Leaf margins entire. Plants frequently solitary.

Acute-tipped Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta -

Harsh Paintbrush, Harsh Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. hispida - Scarlet bracts, often with green below the tips. Leaves mostly split at tips into 3 thin segments. 6-24 inches tall. Plants frequently solitary.

Cutleaf Paintbrush: Castilleja lacera (formerly Orthocarpus lacerus) -

Common Paintbrush, Scarlet Paintbrush, Scarlet Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja miniata var. miniata - Scarlet bracts. Leaves usually linear & often not split into 3 branches at tip. 6-30 inches tall. Plants frequently solitary.

Pale Paintbrush: Castilleja oresbia -

Small-flowered Paintbrush: Castilleja parviflora var. albida -

Magenta Paintbrush: Castilleja parviflora var. oreopola - Magenta, sometimes purplish bracts. Leaves split into 3- 5 segments. Grows in clumps . 6-12 inches tall.

Peck's Paintbrush: Castilleja peckiana -

Frosted Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja pruinosa -

Cliff Paintbrush, Cliff Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja rupicola - Bright scarlet bracts. Leaves split into 5 segments. Herbace is hairy. Grows in prostrate to somewhat erect clumps . 6-9 inches tall.

Split-hair Paintbrush: Castilleja schizotricha (Castilleja arachnoidea ssp. schizotricha) -

Suksdorf's Paintbrush, Bog Paintbrush, Suksdorf's Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja suksdorfii - Bracts and calyces bright red with a narrow yellow strip below the tips. Plants to 20 inches. Wildflowers of moist, subalpine meadows.

Annual White Paintbrush, Hairy Owl Clover, Hairy Indian Paintbrush, Thin Paintbrush: Castilleja tenuis (formerly Orthocarpus hispidus) -

Thompson's Paintbrush, Thompson's Indian Paintbrush, Thompson's Owl Clover: Castilleja thompsonii - Yellowish-green bracts. Plants 6-12 inches tall. Found in the foothills on the east side of the Washington Cascades.

Paul Slichter