Castilleja

Castilleja
	Castilleja miniata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Orobanchaceae
Genus:	Castilleja ; Mutis ex L.f.
Species
	About 200, see text
Synonyms
	Euchroma Nutt.; Gentrya Breedlove & Heckard

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Castilleja, commonly known as Indian paintbrush or prairie-fire, is a genus of about 200 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants native to the west of the Americas from Alaska south to the Andes, northern Asia, and one species as far west as the Kola Peninsula in northwestern Russia. These plants are classified in the broomrape family, Orobanchaceae (following major rearrangements of the order Lamiales starting around 2001; sources which do not follow these reclassifications may place them in the Scrophulariaceae). They are hemiparasitic on the roots of grasses and forbs. The generic name honors Spanish botanist Domingo Castillejo.^[2]

Ecology

Castilleja species are eaten by the larvae of some lepidopteran species, including Schinia cupes (which has been recorded on C. exserta) and Schinia pulchripennis (which feeds exclusively on C. exserta), and checkerspot butterflies, such as Euphydryas species.

Uses

The flowers of Indian paintbrush are edible, and were consumed in moderation by various Native American tribes as a condiment with other fresh greens. These plants have a tendency to absorb and concentrate selenium in their tissues from the soils in which they grow, and can be potentially very toxic if the roots or green parts of the plant are consumed. Highly alkaline soils increase the selenium levels in the plants. Indian paintbrush has similar health benefits to consuming garlic if only the flowers are eaten in small amounts and in moderation.^[3]

The Ojibwe used a hairwash made from Indian paintbrush to make their hair glossy and full bodied, and as a treatment for rheumatism. The high selenium content of this plant has been cited as the reason for its effectiveness for these purposes. Nevada Indian tribes used the plant to treat sexually transmitted diseases and to enhance the immune system.

Symbolism

Castilleja linariifolia is the state flower of Wyoming.^[4]

Selected species

	Castilleja affinis	Coast Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja ambigua	Paintbrush owl's clover
	Castilleja angustifolia	Northwestern Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja annua	Annual Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja applegatei	Applegate's Indian paintbrush, wavyleaf Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja aquariensis	Aquarius Plateau Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja arachnoidea	Cobwebby Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja arvensis
	Castilleja attenuata	Narrowleaf owl's clover
	Castilleja brevistyla
	Castilleja campestris
	Castilleja caudata	Port Clarence Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja cervina	Deer Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja christii	Christ's Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja chromosa	Desert Indian paintbrush, desert paintbrush
	Castilleja cinerea	Ashgray Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja coccinea	Scarlet Indian paintbrush, Scarlet painted-cup
	Castilleja cusickii	Cusick's Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja densiflora
	Castilleja ecuadorensis
	Castilleja elegans	Elegant Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja elmeri	Elmer's Indian paintbrush
120px	Castilleja exserta	Purple owl's clover, purple Indian paintbrush, exserted Indian paintbrush, escobita, formerly in Orthocarpus
	Castilleja foliolosa	Texas Indian paintbrush^[5]
	Castilleja fruticosa
	Castilleja fulva	Elko Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja grisea
	Castilleja guadalupensis	(extinct)
	Castilleja hispida	Harsh Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja hyetophila	Coastal red Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja hyperborea	Northern Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja indivisa	Entireleaf Indian paintbrush, Texas paintbrush
	Castilleja integra	Wholeleaf Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja kaibabensis	Kaibab Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja kerryana
	Castilleja lacera
	Castilleja lanata	Sierra woolly Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja lasiorhyncha
	Castilleja latifolia
	Castilleja lauta	Rosy Paintbrush
	Castilleja lemmonii	Lemmon's Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja levisecta	Golden paintbrush
	Castilleja linariifolia	Narrowleaf Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja lineariiloba
	Castilleja lutescens	Stiff yellow Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja mendocinensis
	Castilleja miniata	Greater red Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja minor	Smallflower Indian paintbrush, lesser Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja mollis	Softleaf Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja mutis
	Castilleja nana
	Castilleja neglecta	Tiburon Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja nubigena
	Castilleja occidentalis	Western Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja pallescens	Pallid Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja pallida var. lapponica	Boreal Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja parviflora	Small-flowered Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja parvula
	Castilleja pilosa
	Castilleja praeterita
	Castilleja pruinosa
	Castilleja pumila	Lancetilla del Páramo
	Castilleja raupii	Raup's Indian paintbrush, Raup's painted-cup
	Castilleja rhexiifolia	Rhexia-leaf Indian paintbrush, splitleaf Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja rubicundula	Cream sacs
	Castilleja rupicola	Cliff Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja salsuginosa	Monte Neva Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja schizotricha
	Castilleja septentrionalis	Labrador Indian paintbrush, northern paintbrush
	Castilleja sessiliflora	Downy Indian paintbrush, downy paintbrush
	Castilleja socorrensis
	Castilleja subinclusa
	Castilleja suksdorfii	Suksdorf's Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja sulphurea	Sulphur Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja tenuis	Hairy owl's clover
	Castilleja thompsonii	Thompson's Indian paintbrush
	Castilleja wightii	Wight's paintbrush
	Castilleja unalaschcensis	Alaska Indian paintbrush