Castilleja
Castilleja, commonly known as Indian paintbrush or prairie-fire, is a genus of about 200 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants native to the west of the Americas from Alaska south to the Andes, northern Asia, and one species as far west as the Kola Peninsula in northwestern Russia. These plants are classified in the family Orobanchaceae (following major rearrangements of the order Lamiales starting around 2001; sources which do not follow these reclassifications may place them in the Scrophulariaceae). They are hemiparasitic on the roots of grasses and forbs. The generic name honors Spanish botanist Domingo Castillejo.[2]
| Castilleja | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Castilleja miniata | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Orobanchaceae |
| Subtribe: | Castillejinae |
| Genus: | Castilleja Mutis ex L.f. |
| Species | |
|
About 200, see text | |
| Synonyms | |
Ecology
Castilleja species are eaten by the larvae of some lepidopteran species, including Schinia cupes (which has been recorded on C. exserta) and Schinia pulchripennis (which feeds exclusively on C. exserta), and checkerspot butterflies, such as Euphydryas species.
Uses
The flowers of Indian paintbrush are edible, and were consumed in moderation by various Native American tribes as a condiment with other fresh greens. These plants have a tendency to absorb and concentrate selenium in their tissues from the soils in which they grow, and can be potentially very toxic if the roots or green parts of the plant are consumed. Highly alkaline soils increase the selenium levels in the plants. Indian paintbrush has similar health benefits to consuming garlic if only the flowers are eaten in small amounts and in moderation.[3]
The Ojibwe used a hairwash made from Indian paintbrush to make their hair glossy and full bodied, and as a treatment for rheumatism. The high selenium content of this plant has been cited as the reason for its effectiveness for these purposes.
Symbolism
Castilleja linariifolia is the state flower of Wyoming.[4]
Selected species
 | Castilleja affinis | Coast Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja ambigua | Paintbrush owl's clover |
 | Castilleja angustifolia | Northwestern Indian paintbrush |
| Castilleja annua | Annual Indian paintbrush | |
 | Castilleja applegatei | Applegate's Indian paintbrush, wavyleaf Indian paintbrush |
| Castilleja aquariensis | Aquarius Plateau Indian paintbrush | |
 | Castilleja arachnoidea | Cobwebby Indian paintbrush |
.jpg.webp) | Castilleja arvensis | Field Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja attenuata | Narrowleaf owl's clover |
| Castilleja beldingii | ||
 | Castilleja brevistyla | |
 | Castilleja campestris | vernal pool Indian paintbrush |
.jpg.webp) | Castilleja caudata | Port Clarence Indian paintbrush |
| Castilleja cervina | Deer Indian paintbrush | |
 | Castilleja christii | Christ's Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja chromosa | Desert Indian paintbrush, desert paintbrush |
 | Castilleja cinerea | Ashgray Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja coccinea | Scarlet Indian paintbrush, Scarlet painted-cup |
 | Castilleja cusickii | Cusick's Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja densiflora | |
| Castilleja ecuadorensis | ||
.jpg.webp) | Castilleja elegans | Elegant Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja elmeri | Elmer's Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja exserta | Purple owl's clover, purple Indian paintbrush, exserted Indian paintbrush, escobita, formerly in Orthocarpus |
 | Castilleja foliolosa | Texas Indian paintbrush[5] |
| Castilleja fruticosa | ||
| Castilleja fulva | Elko Indian paintbrush | |
 | Castilleja grisea | |
| Castilleja guadalupensis | (extinct) | |
 | Castilleja hispida | Harsh Indian paintbrush |
| Castilleja hyetophila | Coastal red Indian paintbrush | |
| Castilleja hyperborea | Northern Indian paintbrush | |
 | Castilleja indivisa | Entireleaf Indian paintbrush, Texas paintbrush |
 | Castilleja integra | Wholeleaf Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja kaibabensis | Kaibab Indian paintbrush |
| Castilleja kerryana | ||
| Castilleja lacera | ||
 | Castilleja lanata | Sierra woolly Indian paintbrush |
| Castilleja lasiorhyncha | ||
 | Castilleja latifolia | |
| Castilleja lauta | Rosy paintbrush | |
 | Castilleja lemmonii | Lemmon's Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja levisecta | Golden paintbrush |
.jpg.webp) | Castilleja linariifolia | Narrowleaf Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja lineariiloba | |
 | Castilleja lutescens | Stiff yellow Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja mendocinensis | |
 | Castilleja miniata | Greater red Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja minor | Smallflower Indian paintbrush, lesser Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja mollis | Softleaf Indian paintbrush |
| Castilleja mutis | ||
 | Castilleja nana | Alpine paintbrush |
 | Castilleja neglecta | Tiburon Indian paintbrush |
| Castilleja nubigena | ||
_at_Waterton_Lakes_National_Park_-_Flickr_-_Jay_Sturner.jpg.webp) | Castilleja occidentalis | Western Indian paintbrush |
| Castilleja ophiocephala | ||
.jpg.webp) | Castilleja pallescens | Pallid Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja pallida var. lapponica | Boreal Indian paintbrush |
| Castilleja paramensis | ||
 | Castilleja parviflora | Small-flowered Indian paintbrush |
.jpg.webp) | Castilleja parvula | |
 | Castilleja peirsonii | Peirson's paintbrush |
| Castilleja pilosa | ||
| Castilleja plagiotoma | Mojave Indian paintbrush | |
| Castilleja praeterita | ||
 | Castilleja pruinosa | |
 | Castilleja pumila | Lancetilla del Páramo |
 | Castilleja purpurea | |
 | Castilleja raupii | Raup's Indian paintbrush, Raup's painted-cup |
 | Castilleja rhexiifolia | Rhexia-leaf Indian paintbrush, splitleaf Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja rubicundula | Cream sacs |
 | Castilleja rupicola | Cliff Indian paintbrush |
| Castilleja salsuginosa | Monte Neva Indian paintbrush | |
 | Castilleja schizotricha | |
 | Castilleja septentrionalis | Labrador Indian paintbrush, northern paintbrush |
 | Castilleja sessiliflora | Downy Indian paintbrush, downy paintbrush |
| Castilleja socorrensis | ||
 | Castilleja subinclusa | |
 | Castilleja suksdorfii | Suksdorf's Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja sulphurea | Sulphur Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja tenuis | Hairy owl's clover |
 | Castilleja thompsonii | Thompson's Indian paintbrush |
 | Castilleja wightii | Wight's paintbrush |
 | Castilleja unalaschcensis | Alaska Indian paintbrush |
References
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Castilleja. |
 |
Wikispecies has information related to Castilleja. |
- "Genus: Castilleja Mutis ex L. f." Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2006-03-30. Archived from the original on 2009-05-06. Retrieved 2010-10-22.
- Quattrocchi, Umberto (2000). CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names. I: A-C. CRC Press. p. 455. ISBN 978-0-8493-2675-2.
- Tilford, Gregory L. (1997). Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West. Mountain Press Publishing. pp. 82–83. ISBN 978-0-87842-359-0.
- Wyoming Statute 8-3-104 (Title 8) Archived 2008-05-11 at the Wayback Machine
- "PLANTS Profile for Castilleja foliolosa (Texas Indian paintbrush)". United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved March 9, 2013.
Further reading
- Tomie dePaola (1988). The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush. Scholastic Books. ISBN 0-590-44706-8.
External links
- Native Plant Information Network: Listing of species in the Castilleja genus.
- Jepson Manual - taxonomic description of the genus.