Castilleja occidentalis Torr.
western paintbrush (western paintbrush)
Orobanchaceae (Broom-rape family)
(Previously in Scrophulariaceae)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Jim Riley     (Photo ID #23143)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Castilleja occidentalis
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from a somewhat woody stem-base; stems several, clustered, decumbent to erect, 5-20 cm tall, unbranched, more or less sticky-long-hairy, usually purplish.
Leaves:
Alternate, linear to lanceolate, 2-5 cm long, entire or sometimes the uppermost with a pair of small lateral lobes, sticky-hairy.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a prominently bracted terminal spike, short and compact, the bracts pale yellow, often with a brownish, purplish or reddish cast, broadly lanceolate to egg-shaped, entire and rounded or with 1 to 2 pairs of small lobes near the top, strongly sticky-hairy; corollas 17-25 mm long, 2-lipped, the upper lip beak-like, minutely hairy, 5-9 mm long, much shorter than the tube and 3-4 times the length of the 3-toothed lower lip; calyces 15-20 mm long, 2-lobed, these primary lobes again divided into 2 blunt segments 1-4 mm long; stamens 4.
Fruits:
Capsules, 8-10 mm long; seeds many, the seed-coats loose, net-veined.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Castilleja occidentalis

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
2103 790 2610
Slope Gradient (%)
39 0 120

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

167 10 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
3 0 7
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
83
Modal BEC Zone Class
ESSF

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

AT(21), BWBS(1), ESSF(42), IDF(1), IMA(8)

Habitat and Range

Mesic to dry meadows and rocky slopes in the subalpine and alpine zones; infrequent in SE BC; E to SW AB and S to CO and UT.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia