Castilleja linariifolia
Castilleja linariifolia is a perennial plant, native to the United States and is the state flower of Wyoming. It has a number of common names including Prairie Fire,'Wyoming Indian paintbrush, narrow-leaved Indian paintbrush, desert paintbrush, Wyoming desert paintbrush, Wyoming paintbrush, linaria-leaved Indian paintbrush, and Indian paintbrush'.
Description
It is a perennial herb. It grows up to one meter in height and has sparse, linear leaves which are between 20 and 80 mm in length and have up to 3 lobes. The flowers, which consist of a pinkish-red to yellow calyx and yellow-green floral tube, appear in panicles or spikes between June and September in its native range.Taxonomy
Castilleja linariifolia was scientifically described and named in 1846 by George Bentham. It is classified in the genus Castilleja as part of the family Orobanchaceae. It has no accepted varieties, but has two in its twelve synonyms.Distribution and habitat
This species occurs on rocky slopes and arid plains and is associated with sagebrush scrub as well as pinyon pine or juniper woodland. It is native to Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming.Ecology
The Edith's checkerspot butterfly in some areas such as Gunnison County, Colorado feeds nearly exclusively on the Wyoming paintbrush. Other species in the area such as Castilleja chromosa and Penstemon strictus have similar nutritional qualities, but the greater and more consistent availability of Wyoming paintbrush such as droughts are thought to have given the butterfly a preference for this paintbrush species.State flower
When options were being considered for a state flower for Wyoming, Dr. Grace Raymond Hebard from the University of Wyoming promoted this species over rival candidates including the columbine and fringed gentian.The State of Wyoming officially adopted the Indian paintbrush as the state flower of Wyoming on January 31, 1917.