Castilleja exserta

Castilleja exserta (formerly Orthocarpus purpurascens) is a species of plant in the genus Castilleja which includes the Indian paintbrushes. Its common names include purple owl's clover, escobita, and exserted Indian paintbrush.[1]

Castilleja exserta
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Orobanchaceae
Genus: Castilleja
Species:
C. exserta
Binomial name
Castilleja exserta
(Heller) Chuang & Heckard

This species is native to the Southwestern United States in various habitats of California, Arizona, and New Mexico; and to Northwestern Mexico.[2] It is an introduced species in Hawaii.

Description
Foliage and stem, before flowering.

Castilleja exserta is an annual herb about 100–450 millimetres (4–18 in) tall with a hairy stem covered in thready leaves. Like other related Castilleja plants, this species is a hemiparasite, deriving some of its nutrients directly from the roots of other plants by infiltrating them with haustoria. As a result, its own leaves are small and reduced.

Although this species is variable in appearance and easily hybridizes with other Castilleja species, it generally bears a brightly colored inflorescence of shaggy pink-purple or lavender flowers. The thin, erect bracts are usually tipped with the same color, giving the inflorescence the appearance of a paintbrush.[3]

Varieties

Varieties include:

Bay checkerspot butterfly host

This is a crucial host plant for the Bay checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha bayensis), which is a threatened species that is endemic to the San Francisco Bay region in California.

The seeds were harvested by indigenous peoples of California for food.[11]

  • 2015
  • Antelope Valley Purple owl's clover

References
  1. CalFlora database: Castilleja exserta . accessed 3.23.2013
  2. Sullivan, Steven. K. (2018). "Castilleja exserta". Wildflower Search. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
  3. "Castilleja exserta". in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora. Jepson Herbarium; University of California, Berkeley. 2018. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
  4. CalFlora: Castilleja exserta ssp. exserta
  5. "Castilleja exserta (A.Heller) T.I.Chuang & Heckard | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
  6. CalFlora: Castilleja exserta ssp. latifolia
  7. "Castilleja exserta var. latifolia (S.Watson) J.M.Egger | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
  8. CalFlora: Castilleja exserta ssp. venusta
  9. USDA: C. e. ssp. venusta
  10. "Castilleja exserta var. venusta (A.Heller) J.M.Egger | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
  11. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Native Plant Information Network (NPIN) — Castilleja exserta (Purple owl's clover) . accessed 3.23.2013
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