Castilleja

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Castilleja
Castilleja integra - Michael Tidwell 01.jpg
Castilleja integra flowering stem in Coconino National Forest, Arizona
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Orobanchaceae
Subtribe: Castillejinae
Genus: Castilleja
Mutis ex L.f.
Species

See List of Castilleja species

Synonyms [1]
  • Clevelandia Greene
  • Euchroma Nutt.
  • Gentrya Breedlove & Heckard
  • Oncorhynchus Lehm.
  • Ophiocephalus Wiggins

Castilleja, commonly known as paintbrush, Indian paintbrush, or prairie-fire, is a genus of about 200 species of annual and perennial mostly 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]

Contents

Taxonomy

Castilleja was scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus the Younger using a partial description by José Celestino Bruno Mutis in 1782. [1] The type species was Castilleja fissifolia from Columbia. [3] The genus as a whole has never been renamed, however five others were described and named that are considered to be synonyms of Castilleja. [1] For example, in 1818 Thomas Nuttall described a genus that he named Euchroma meaning finely colored, moving the species now known as Castilleja coccinea out of Bartsia where it had been placed by Carl Linnaeus and also named another species as Euchroma grandiflora. [4] [1] However, Nutttall's Euchroma grandiflora had already been named and correctly placed as Castilleja sessiliflora by Frederick Traugott Pursh in 1813. [5]

Species

There are 216 species that are considered valid by Plants of the World Online. [1] More than half, 119 species, are native to North America north of Mexico. [6]

Description

The species in Castilleja are quite varied in form and lifecycle. The genus includes many species that are completely herbaceous, lacking woody material in their above-ground parts. Though it also includes some slightly woody subshrubs and even a few woody shrubs. [6] They may grow as annual plants, but most of the species are perennial. [7] Their roots are equally diverse in structure ranging from taproots to fibrous root systems. Some species also have modified underground stems called rhizomes to spread short distances. [6]

Stem lengths range from a minute 1 centimeter to as much as 2 meters. [6] In almost all species the leaves are attached to the stems and alternating. The inflorescences are always at the ends of the stems, which may or may not branch. [7] The inflorescence usually have bracts that are brightly colored for the whole length or towards their ends. [6]

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. [8] [9] Pollinators aid these plants in reproduction, with insects visiting the flowers, as well as hummingbirds for some species. [10]

Castilleja species can play an important role in plant community dynamics and multitrophic interactions. For example, Castilleja hemiparasitic reliance on other plant species may affect competition and dominance among other plant species in its community. [11] Additionally, the foliage of some Castilleja species naturally contains defensive compounds that are sequestered in the tissues of larvae of specialist insect species that have developed a tolerance for these compounds and are able to consume the foliage. [8] [9] These sequestered compounds then confer chemical protection against predators to larvae. [8] [9]

Hybridization

Seeds of putative Castilleja levisecta x Castilleja hispida hybrid Seeds of putative Castilleja levisecta x C. hispida individual.jpg
Seeds of putative Castilleja levisecta × Castilleja hispida hybrid

Some species in the Castilleja genus are able to hybridize, especially when ploidy levels match, and hybrids may produce viable seed. [12] [13] [14] This hybridization potential has been identified as a threat to the genetic integrity of certain endangered Castilleja species. [13]

Uses

The author Gregory L. Tilford claims that the flowers of Indian paintbrush are edible. However, 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. [15] In addition Castilleja species will take up alkaloids from other plants when parasitizing them. [16]

Symbolism

Castilleja linariifolia is the state flower of Wyoming. [17]

Related Research Articles

<i>Stachys</i> Genus of plants in the sage family

Stachys is a genus of plants, one of the largest in the mint family Lamiaceae. Estimates of the number of species vary from about 300, to about 450. Stachys is in the subfamily Lamioideae and its type species is Stachys sylvatica. The precise extent of the genus and its relationship to other genera in the subfamily are poorly known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orobanchaceae</span> Family of flowering plants known as broomrapes

Orobanchaceae, the broomrapes, is a family of mostly parasitic plants of the order Lamiales, with about 90 genera and more than 2000 species. Many of these genera were formerly included in the family Scrophulariaceae sensu lato. With its new circumscription, Orobanchaceae forms a distinct, monophyletic family. From a phylogenetic perspective, it is defined as the largest crown clade containing Orobanche major and relatives, but neither Paulownia tomentosa nor Phryma leptostachya nor Mazus japonicus.

<i>Castilleja exserta</i> Species of flowering plant

Castilleja exserta 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.

<i>Chelone glabra</i> Species of flowering plant

Chelone glabra, or white turtlehead, is a herbaceous species of plant native to North America. Its native range extends from Georgia to Newfoundland and Labrador and from Mississippi to Manitoba. Its common name comes from the appearance of its flower petals, which resemble the head of a tortoise. In fact, in Greek, chelone means "tortoise" and was the name of a nymph who refused to attend the wedding of Zeus and was turned into a turtle as punishment. Its natural habitat is wet areas, such as riparian forests and swamps.

<i>Orthocarpus</i> Genus of flowering plants belonging to the broomrape family

Orthocarpus, or owl's-clover, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae (broomrapes). They are native to North America. A number of species formerly included in Orthocarpus have been transferred to the genus Castilleja, which includes the plants commonly known as Indian paintbrush. Plants of the genus are generally less than 30 centimetres (1 ft) in height.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Variable checkerspot</span> Species of butterfly

The variable checkerspot or Chalcedon checkerspot is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in western North America, where its range stretches from Alaska in the north to Baja California in the south and extends east through the Rocky Mountains into Colorado, Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming. The butterfly is usually brown or black with extensive white and yellow checkering and some red coloration on the dorsal wing. Adult wingspan is 3.2–5.7 cm (1.3–2.2 in). Adult butterflies feed on nectar from flowers while larvae feed on a variety of plants including snowberry (Symphoricarpos), paintbrush (Castilleja), Buddleja, Diplacus aurantiacus and Scrophularia californica.

<i>Castilleja mollis</i> Species of flowering plant

Castilleja mollis is a species of Indian paintbrush known by the common name softleaf Indian paintbrush. It is endemic to the Channel Islands of California, where it is currently known only from Santa Rosa Island. An occurrence was once noted on San Miguel Island, but the plant has not been found there since 1938. Its habitat is the coastal sage scrub around the windy sand dunes and bluffs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quino checkerspot</span> Butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino) native to southern California and northwestern Mexico

The Quino checkerspot is a butterfly native to southern California and northwestern Baja California. It is a subspecies of the common Edith's checkerspot and the second such subspecies to be listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edith's checkerspot</span> Species of butterfly

Edith's checkerspot is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is a resident species of western North America and among the subspecies, entomologists have long been intrigued by their many phenotypic variations in coloration, wing length, and overall body size. Most populations are monophagous and rely on plants including Plantago erecta and Orthocarpus densiflorus as their host species in developing from eggs through to larvae, pupae, and mature butterflies. Males exhibit polygyny whereas females rarely mate more than once. Males devote most of their attention to mate acquisition, and such mate locating strategies such as hilltopping behavior have developed. Climate change and habitat destruction have impacted certain subspecies. Three subspecies in particular, Euphydryas editha quino, Euphydryas editha bayensis and Euphydryas editha taylori, are currently under protection via the Endangered Species Act.

<i>Schinia pulchripennis</i> Species of moth

Schinia pulchripennis, or the common flower moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae that is distributed throughout North America, including California and Nevada.

<i>Castilleja levisecta</i> Species of flowering plant

Castilleja levisecta is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae known by the common name golden paintbrush, or golden Indian paintbrush, listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1997. It is native to British Columbia and Washington, where it is known from eleven remaining populations. It occurred in Oregon but all natural occurrences there have been extirpated. It has been reintroduced to a few areas in Oregon, but it remains to be seen if the plants will survive. The plant is a federally listed endangered species of Canada and was listed as threatened in the United States in 1997. On June 30, 2021, the plant was proposed for delisting due to recovery. Effective August 18, 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a rule removing golden paintbrush from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants

<i>Euphydryas editha taylori</i> Subspecies of butterfly

Euphydryas editha taylori, the Whulge checkerspot or Taylor's checkerspot, is a butterfly native to an area of the northwestern United States and Vancouver Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bay checkerspot butterfly</span> Subspecies of butterfly

The Bay checkerspot is a butterfly endemic to the San Francisco Bay region of the U.S. state of California. It is a federally threatened species, as a subspecies of Euphydryas editha.

<i>Castilleja sessiliflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Castilleja sessiliflora is a species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae known by the common names downy Indian paintbrush and downy paintedcup. It is native to the Great Plains of North America from southern Canada, through the central United States, to northern Mexico. It occurs as far west as the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

<i>Castilleja coccinea</i> Species of plant

Castilleja coccinea, commonly known as scarlet Indian paintbrush or scarlet painted-cup, is a biennial flowering plant in the Orobanchaceae (broomrape) family. It is usually found in prairies, rocky glades, moist and open woodlands, thickets, and along streams in central and eastern North America.

<i>Castilleja integra</i> Species of flowering plant

Castilleja integra, with the common names orange paintbrush, Southwestern paintbrush, and wholeleaf paintbrush, is a partially parasitic herbaceous perennial plant native to the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico. The species produces a relatively large amount of nectar and is attractive to hummingbirds. It is better suited to cultivation than most other species in the paintbrush genus (Castilleja) and is therefor used in xeriscape gardens and naturalistic meadows, even outside its native range.

Castilleja kerryana is a species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae. It is commonly known as Kerry's Indian paintbrush or Kerry’spaintbrush. It was formally described in 2013 and so far it is known only from a small population in the state of Montana, in the Northwestern United States.

<i>Castilleja bella</i> Species of flowering plant

Castilleja bella is a species in the Castilleja genus known by the common name Arteaga Indian paintbrush. It is native to northeastern Mexico, primarily the states of Nuevo León and Coahuila, where it grows in montane habitats.

<i>Castilleja hispida</i> Species of flowering plant

Castilleja hispida is a species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae, also known by the common name harsh paintbrush, or harsh Indian paintbrush. It is native to British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Castilleja Mutis ex L.f." Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  2. Quattrocchi, Umberto (2000). CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names. Vol. I: A-C. CRC Press. p. 455. ISBN   978-0-8493-2675-2.
  3. Pennell, Francis Whittier (1951). "Scrophulariaceae". In Abrams, LeRoy; Ferris, Roxana Stinchfield; Vincent, Sylvia; Law, Barbara (eds.). An Illustrated Flora of the Pacific States: Washington, Oregon, and California. Vol. III: Geraniaceae to Scrophulariaceae. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. pp. 819–820. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  4. Nuttall, Thomas (1818). The Genera of North American Plants, and a Catalogue of the Species, to the year 1817. Vol. II. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: : Printed for the author by D. Heartt. pp. 54–55. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  5. "Castilleja sessiliflora Pursh". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Egger, J. Mark; Zika, Peter F.; Wilson, Barbara L.; Brainerd, Richard E.; Otting, Nick (5 February 2024). "Castilleja - FNA". Flora of North America. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  7. 1 2 Heil, Kenneth D.; O'Kane, Jr., Steve L.; Reeves, Linda Mary; Clifford, Arnold (2013). Flora of the Four Corners Region : Vascular Plants of the San Juan River Drainage, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. St. Louis, Missouri: Missouri Botanical Garden. pp. 688–690. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 Haan, Nate L.; Bakker, Jonathan D.; Bowers, M. Deane (14 January 2021). "Preference, performance, and chemical defense in an endangered butterfly using novel and ancestral host plants". Scientific Reports. 11 (992): 992. Bibcode:2021NatSR..11..992H. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-80413-y. PMC   7809109 . PMID   33446768.
  9. 1 2 3 Haan, Nate L.; Bakker, Jonathan D.; Bowers, M. Deane (May 2018). "Hemiparasites can transmit indirect effects from their host plants to herbivores". Ecology. 99 (2): 399–410. doi:10.1002/ecy.2087. JSTOR   26624251. PMID   29131311 . Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  10. Benda, Christopher. "Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja coccinea)". www.fs.fed.us. United States Department of Agriculture.
  11. Schmidt, Natalie (2016). Parasitic plants and community composition: how Castilleja levisecta affects, and is affected by, its community (PDF) (Doctoral dissertation). University of Washington. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  12. Babikova, Zdenka; Gilbert, Lucy; Bruce, Toby; Dewhirst, Sarah; Pickett, John A.; Johnson, David (April 2014). "Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and aphids interact by changing host plant quality and volatile emission". American Journal of Botany. 99 (12). JSTOR   23321298 . Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  13. 1 2 Strategy and Guidance for Minimizing Hybridization Risk of Castilleja levisecta (CALE) with Castilleja hispida (CAHI) While Advancing Conservation of CALE and Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly (Euphydryas editha taylori; TCB) (PDF) (Report). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Washington Department of Natural Resources. 2021. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  14. Loretta Fisher; Jonathan D. Bakker; Peter W. Dunwiddie (2015). An Assessment of Seed Production and Viability of Putative Castilleja levisecta × C. hispida Hybrids (Report). Center for Natural Lands Management and University of Washington. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.4327.2081 . Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  15. Tilford, Gregory L. (1997). Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West. Mountain Press Publishing. pp. 82–83. ISBN   978-0-87842-359-0.
  16. Goldwasser, Y.; Westwood, J. H.; Yoder, J. I. (January 2002). "The Use of Arabidopsis to Study Interactions between Parasitic Angiosperms and Their Plant Hosts". The Arabidopsis Book. 1: e0035. doi:10.1199/tab.0035. PMC   3243330 .
  17. Wyoming Statute 8-3-104 (Title 8) Archived 2008-05-11 at the Wayback Machine

Further reading