Page author: David Giblin
Castilleja cryptantha
obscure paintbrush
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Endemic to Mt. Rainier National Park and immediate vicinity in Washington.

Habitat: Moist subalpine meadows.

Flowers: July-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Sensitive in Washington (WANHP)

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, hummingbirds

Description:
General:

Perennial herbs, the stems clustered, erect or ascending, unbranched, 1-1.5 dm. tall, with soft, sticky hairs.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, all cauline, with soft, sticky hairs, the lower leaves entire, linear, the upper ones broader, often with a pair of short, lateral lobes.

Flowers:

Flowers in a spike, the bracts broader than the leaves, lanceolate and acute, with a pair of broad lateral lobes, purplish, with soft, sticky hairs; calyx yellow, 12-15 mm. long, deeply and equally divided, the 2 broad lobes again divided at the tip into 2 triangular segments 1 mm. long; corolla two-lipped, a little longer than the calyx, the 3-toothed lower lip 2/3 the length of the densely puberulent upper lip; stamens 4, attached above the middle of the corolla tube; stigma capitate, not exerted; ovary superior.

Fruits:

Capsule.

Accepted Name:
Castilleja cryptantha Pennell & G.N. Jones
Publication: Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 50(56): 208-209. 1937.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Castilleja cryptantha in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Castilleja cryptantha checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Castilleja cryptantha information.

E-Flora BC: Castilleja cryptantha atlas page.

CalPhotos: Castilleja cryptantha photos.

USDA Plants: Castilleja cryptantha information.

38 photographs:
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