Castilleja miniata

Castilleja miniata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Orobanchaceae
Genus:	Castilleja
Species:	C. miniata
Binomial name
Castilleja miniata Dougl. ex Benth.
Synonyms
List Castilleja crispula Castilleja tweedyi Castilleja inconstans Castilleja fulva Castilleja vreelandii Castilleja montana Castilleja dixonii Euchroma integrifolia Castilleja oblongifolia Castilleja hyetophila Castilleja confusa Castilleja variabilis Castilleja trinervis

Castilleja miniata is a species of Indian paintbrush known by the common name giant red paintbrush. It is native to western North America from Alaska to Ontario to California to New Mexico, where it grows usually in moist places in a wide variety of habitat types.

Description

Giant red paintbrush is a perennial herb that grows 12 to 80 centimeters tall, though occasionally reaching 1 meter, with few to many branching stems. It can have a taproot or grow from rhizomes with branching roots. The lance-shaped leaves are 3 to 6 centimeters long, pointed, and coated in thin hairs. The inflorescence is made up of bright red to pale orange or orange-tipped bracts. Between the bracts emerge the yellow-green, red-edged tubular flowers. Flowers bloom May to September.

Because most species of the genus are parasitic on other plants, sophisticated networks are formed between their roots and those of other species. They therefore cannot be transplanted in most cases. Its native habitats include wet mountain meadows and stream banks below 11,000 feet (3,400 m).

Taxonomy

Castilleja miniata was given its scientific name and described in 1838 by George Bentham attributing it to David Douglas. It is a species of Castilleja classified in the family Orobanchaceae.

Varieties

According to Plants of the World Online there are four varieties of the species:

Castilleja miniata var. dixonii in British Columbia

• Castilleja miniata var. dixonii

Initially described as Castilleja dixonii by Merritt Lyndon Fernald in 1899, it was reduced to a variety by Aven Nelson and J.F. Macbride in 1918. It is found on the west coast in British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon.

• Castilleja miniata var. fulva

Francis Whittier Pennell described it as Castilleja fulva in 1934 and as a variety by John Mark Egger in 2008. It grows in Alberta, British Columbia, and the Yukon Territory.

• Castilleja miniata var. miniata

The autonymic variety is widespread and from Alaska to Baja California and eastward to the Rocky Mountain states and Ontario.

• Castilleja miniata var. oblongifolia

This variety was inititally described as Castilleja oblongifolia by Asa Gray and as a variety by Philip Alexander Munz in 1932. It grows from south central California to northern Baja California.

Castilleja miniata has 19 synonyms of the species or one of its four varieties.

Table of Synonyms

Name	Year	Rank	Synonym of:	Notes
Castilleja confusa var. pubens (A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr.) A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr.	1916	variety	var. miniata	= het.
Castilleja crispula Piper	1906	species	var. miniata	= het.
Castilleja dixonii Fernald	1899	species	var. dixonii	≡ hom.
Castilleja fulva Pennell	1934	species	var. fulva	≡ hom.
Castilleja hyetophila Pennell	1934	species	var. miniata	= het.
Castilleja hyetophila f. longiflora Pennell	1934	form	var. miniata	= het.
Castilleja inconstans Standl.	1909	species	var. miniata	= het.
Castilleja miniata var. crispula (Piper) A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr.	1916	variety	var. miniata	= het.
Castilleja miniata subsp. dixonii (Fernald) Kartesz	1999	subspecies	var. dixonii	≡ hom.
Castilleja montana Congdon	1900	species	var. miniata	= het.
Castilleja oblongifolia A.Gray	1878	species	var. oblongifolia	≡ hom.
Castilleja pallida var. miniata (Douglas ex Hook.) A.Gray	1862	variety	C. miniata	≡ hom.
Castilleja rhexiifolia var. pubens A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr.	1913	variety	var. miniata	= het.
Castilleja trinervis Rydb.	1901	species	var. miniata	= het.
Castilleja tweedyi Rydb.	1900	species	var. miniata	= het.
Castilleja variabilis Rydb.	1907	species	var. miniata	= het.
Castilleja vreelandii Rydb.	1907	species	var. miniata	= het.
Castilleja confusa Greene	1901	species	var. miniata	= het.
Euchroma integrifolia Nutt. ex Benth.	1846	species	var. miniata	= het.
Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym ; = heterotypic synonym

Names

The scientific name, miniata, means "scarlet" in Botanical Latin for the color of its bright bracts. It is likewise known by the common name scarlet paintbrush, however other species are also known by this name at times including Castilleja indivisa and Castilleja coccinea. It is also known as the giant red paintbrush and common paintbrush.

References

Sources

Books

Web sources

External links

• Jepson Manual Treatment
• Photo gallery