Castilleja indivisa

Castilleja indivisa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Orobanchaceae
Genus:	Castilleja
Species:	C. indivisa
Binomial name
Castilleja indivisa Engelm.

Castilleja indivisa, commonly known as Texas Paintbrush or Entireleaf Indian Paintbrush, is a hemiparasitic annual wildflower native to Texas and Oklahoma in the United States. The bright red leaf-like bracts that surround the white to greenish flowers make the plant look like a ragged brush that has been dipped in red paint. They sometimes produce a light yellow or pure white variation mixed in with the reds.

Each plant typically grows 30–45 cm (12–18 in) in height. The leaves are long and stalkless. The roots grow until they reach the roots of other plants, mainly grasses, and then penetrate the roots of the "host" plant to obtain a portion of their needed nutrients (known as semi or hemiparasitism).

Texas Paintbrush typically blooms in early to mid-spring, and thrives in well-drained areas with full sun. They can be seen along highways and in fields, complementing the deep blue of the bluebonnets.

References

• Texas Paintbrush
• Images of Castilleja indivisa
• Growing Instructions for Texas Paint Brush

External links

Media related to Castilleja indivisa at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Castilleja indivisa at Wikispecies