Scientific Family
Scrophulariaceae
Synonyms
Castilleja spiralis, C. stenantha, C.stenantha ssp. spiralis
Other common names
smallflower Indian paintbrush
alkalai Indian paintbrush
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Annual or perennial
Similar species
Castilleja exilis
Height
To 31-1/2 inches
Riparian
Yes
Upright with a mostly unbranched slender stem and narrow leaves. Showy petal-like green bracts tipped with bright red grow in a spike-like cluster at the stem top just below the yellow to reddish flowers which are nearly hidden by green leaf-like sepals.
Only paintbrush that is usually annual; leaves narrow, glandular; lower 2/3 of flower bracts green, tips red; sepals green; fused 2-lipped petals just peek out from the sepals, upper lip appearing beak-like and yellow, lower lip shorter, toothed, reddish.
Habitat
Usually in moist soils, near springs, streambanks and in wet meadows.
Plant Community
Riparian
Low elevation
3000
High elevation
7500
Flower Characteristics
Flowers are about 1 inch and enclosed by a ring of green modified leaves (sepals) from which they barely peek out. Flowers are 2-lipped. The upper lip is yellow with a long tip and the lower lip is shorter and reddish with backward curving teeth.
Flower color
Yellow to reddish
Flower shape
Inconspicuous
Tubular
Yes
First bloom month
April
Last bloom month
August
Flower clusters
Elongated
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Narrow leaves are stalkless, 1-1/2 to 4 inches long, 1/16 to 1/4 inch wide near the base, soft-textured with 1 or 3 prominent ribs. Leaves grow at well-spaced intervals along the stem. Both leaves and stems are covered with short soft hairs and glands.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
The fruit is narrowly egg-shaped, about 1/2 inch and splits open lengthwise to release many tiny seeds.
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit color
Brown
Seeds are brown and attached to the fruit at the base. The seed coat has a net-like or crisscross pattern.