[Paintbrushes: The Genus Castilleja in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Harsh Paintbrush, Harsh Indian Paintbrush

Castilleja hispida var. acuta

Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera

Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera) - Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera)

Harsh paintbrush observed atop the ridgeline at Mill Creek Ridge Preserve, a Columbia Land Trust property near The Dalles, OR......April 11, 2024.

Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera)

Harsh paintbrush (var. acuta) as seen high on the southeastern slopes of Sevenmile Hill several miles northwest of The Dalles, Oregon..........April 12, 2015. The flower close-up at upper left below shows a good view of the acute tips to the calyx lobes.

Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera) - Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera)

Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera) - Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera)

Close-up images of the inflorescence of harsh paintbrush (var. acuta) as seen high on the southeastern slopes of Sevenmile Hill several miles northwest of The Dalles, Oregon..........April 12, 2015. Note largely entire stem leaves and the shallowly cleft (lateral) calyx lobes with acute tips. Variety hispida has much rounded-tipped calyx lobes and leaves which are more lobed.

Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera) - Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera) - Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera)

Harsh paintbrush (var. acuta) blooming along the Memaloose Trail on Castilleja Hill, Columbia River Gorge..........April 21, 2017.

acute calyx lobes of Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera) - Floral bracts ofHarsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera)

Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera) - Stem leaf of Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera)

Harsh paintbrush (var. acuta). Photographed along the Memaloose Loop Trail in the central Columbia River Gorge.........April 12, 2010. The acute tips to the calyx lobes are visible in the photo at upper left while the long, thin lobes of the lateral inflorescence bracts are visible at upper right.

Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta - Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta

Harsh paintbrush (var. acuta) blooming high in the northwestern corner of the Columbia Hills State Park.........April 12, 2014.

Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera) - Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera)

Harsh paintbrush (var. acuta) beginning to bloom high in the northwestern corner of the Columbia Hills State Park (west rim of Eightmile Creek)..........March 24, 2014.

Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera) - Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera)

The first leaves of harsh paintbrush (var. acuta) arising out of the ground (photo at left) in the Columbia Hills Natural Area Preserve, eastern Columbia River Gorge...........March 5, 2015. The photo at left shows harsh paintbrush in bloom from near the same location.............April 16, 2015.

Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera) - Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera)

Harsh paintbrush (var. acuta) as seen along the Memaloose Trail east of Mosier, Oregon..........March 27, 2015. The photo at left shows the acute tips to the calyx lobes.

Harsh Paintbrush, Harsh Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. hispida (Synonyms: Castilleja angustifolia var. abbreviata, Castilleja angustifolia var. hispida, Castilleja hispida ssp. abbreviata, Castilleja hispida ssp. hispida) - Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera)

The photo at left shows a close-up of harsh paintbrush (var. acuta) as seen in the Columbia Hills several miles to the north of The Dalles, OR..........April 7, 2007. The photo at right shows harsh paintbrush (var. acuta) as seen high on the southeastern slopes of Sevenmile Hill several miles northwest of The Dalles, Oregon..........April 23, 2016.

Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera) - Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera)Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera)

Harsh paintbrush (var. acuta) blooming with Carey's balsamroot at the Mill Creek Ridge Preserve, Columbia Land Trust lands southwest of The Dalles, OR.......April 22, 2018.

Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera) - Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera)

Harsh paintbrush as seen at Catherine Creek.........April 13, 2016. This is in the area where var. acuta transitions into var. hispida, so I'd want to see a close-up of the calyx lobes to verify.

Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera) - Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera) - Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta (Synonyms: Castilleja hispida ssp. acuta, Castilleja taedifera)

Harsh paintbrush blooming at the Mill Creek Ridge Preserve, Columbia Land Trust lands southwest of The Dalles, OR.......April 28, 2019.

Paul Slichter