Wildflowers of the United States

Wyoming Paintbrush, Narrow-leaved Indian Paintbrush, Desert Paintbrush - Castilleja linariifolia

Family: Orobanchaceae - Broom-rape family

Native Status: Native

Dicot Perennial Herb Subshrub

Castilleja linariifolia - Wyoming Paintbrush, Narrow-leaved Indian Paintbrush, Desert Paintbrush. The Castilleja genus - Indian Paintbrush - is named for Domingo Castillejo, an 18th-century Spanish botanist. The plants in this genus are hemiparasitic - while they produce their own nutrition, they also get nutrition from the roots of other plants when their roots touch and then penetrate those plants' roots (the entire Orobanchaceae family of plants are root-parasitic.) The vast majority of the approximately 200 species in the genus are found in western North America. Many of those species in western North America have very limited distribution, some only in some very specific, small area, such as Castilleja aquariensis, which is found only in the subalpine meadows of the Aquarius Plateau, which is entirely contained within two counties in southern Utah.

Castilleja linariifolia is, however, one of the more widespread members of the genus, being found in the mountainous areas of 10 western states. It is the state wildflower of Wyoming. The specimens shown here were photographed in Arches National Park in the desert of eastern Utah, and in the Petrified Forest National Park of eastern Arizona.

Found in:
AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WY

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Distribution of Castilleja linariifolia in the United States and Canada:

Map courtesy of The Biota of North America Program.
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Site: Arches National Park, Grand County, UT Date: 2016-August-29	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000
Generally in Castilleja species the more colorful parts of the inflorescence are the calyx lobes rather than the corolla of the flower. In Castilleja linariifolia the bracts are red (as shown here) or occasionally yellow; as with most Castilleja the calyx lobes are the same color as the tips of the floral bracts. The corolla is yellow-green with red on parts of the edges of the corolla lobes.

Site: Arches National Park, Grand County, UT Date: 2016-August-29	Photographer: Gerald C. Williamson Nikon D7000 Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
The inflorescence of Wyoming Indian Paintbrush is slightly hairy.
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Site: Arches National Park, Grand County, UT Date: 2016-August-29	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000
The leaves and stem of Castilleja linariifolia may be glabrous or slightly puberulent. They are yellow to gray-green in the early life of the plant, usually turning somewhat purplish as the plant ages. The leaves are linear and may be lobed.
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Site: Petrified Forest National Park, Navajo County, AZ Date: 2016-October-14	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000
Castilleja linariifolia is one of the taller of the Indian Paintbrushes, growing as tall as four feet. It is frequently a branching plant, although it may be unbranched.
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References used for identification and information:

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Castilleja linariifolia initially published on USWildflowers.com 2016-11-05; Updated 2017-04-17

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All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2024
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Code Update 20230302