Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to Oregon, east to southwestern Alberta and Montana.
Habitat: Grassy slopes and forest openings, from sea level to moderate elevations in the mountains
Flowers: April-August
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, hummingbirds
Perennial, the stems mostly unbranched, clustered, erect or ascending from a woody base, 2-6 dm. tall, finely villous.
Leaves alternate, lanceolate or broader, finely villous, the lower ones entire and reduced; upper leaves with 1-2 pairs of lateral lobes, these much narrower than the mid-blade.
Inflorescence showy, short and broad, becoming elongate, scarlet or red, occasionally yellow; bracts broad and deeply 3- to 5-lobed; calyx 15-30 mm. long, deeply cleft above and below, its primary lobes again divided into 2 segments; corolla 20-40 mm. long, its puberulent upper lip about equaling the tube, the lower lip only 1/5 as long, dark green, thickened; stamens 4.
Capsule.
Publication: Fl. Bor.-Amer. (Hooker) 2(9): 105. 1838.
-
var. acuta – acute paintbrush, harsh paintbrush
Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern British Columbia to Oregon, east to southwestern Alberta and south-central Montana. -
var. hispida – harsh paintbrush Widespread throughout Washington from the coast to mountain areas throughout Washington; British Columbia to Oregon, east to southwestern Alberta and Montana.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Castilleja hispida in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Castilleja hispida checklist entry
OregonFlora: Castilleja hispida information
E-Flora BC: Castilleja hispida atlas page
CalPhotos: Castilleja hispida photos
