Castilleja elmeri Fernald
Elmer's paintbrush (Elmer's paintbrush)
Orobanchaceae (Broom-rape family)
(Previously in Scrophulariaceae)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Ryan Batten     (Photo ID #53183)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

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

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from a stout, somewhat woody stem-base; stems several, clustered, ascending to erect, 15-30 cm tall, usually unbranched, finely sticky glandular-hairy, especially in the inflorescence.
Leaves:
Alternate, linear-lanceolate, mostly entire, or the upper sometimes with a pair of short lobes, sticky short-hairy to glandular-long-hairy.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a prominently bracted terminal spike, the bracts crimson to scarlet, occasionally yellowish, oblong-egg-shaped, entire and rounded or rarely with a pair of short lobes near the top, sticky-long-hairy; corollas greenish, 20-30 mm long, 2-lipped, the upper lip beak-like, short-hairy, 8-12 mm long, nearly as long as the tube and 4-5 times the length of the thickened, 3-toothed lower lip; calyces hairy, 15-25 mm long, 2-lobed, these primary lobes again divided into 2 oblong, blunt, 1- to 4-mm long segments; stamens 4.
Fruits:
Capsules; 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 elmeri

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)
2239 2195 2286
Slope Gradient (%)
19 9 39

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

240 180 315
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
5 4 7
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
18
Modal BEC Zone Class
AT

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

AT(10), ESSF(5), IMA(3)

Habitat and Range

Mesic meadows in the montane and subalpine zones; locally frequent in the Cascade Mountains, SC BC; S to NW WA.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Castilleja angustifolia var. whitedii Piper