Castilleja latifolia is a species of Indian paintbrush known by the common name Monterey Indian paintbrush. It is endemic to the coastline of California between the San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey County. Its range extends from about Point Reyes to Big Sur. It is a plant of the immediate coastline, growing in sand dunes and coastal scrub. This wildflower is a perennial herb growing up to about 60 centimeters tall and spreading into a shrublike form as it ages over the years. It is bristly and hairy with green, gray-green, purple or purple-tinted herbage. The fleshy leaves are rounded or oval and up to 2 centimeters long. The flower cluster is made up of layers of greenish leafs tipped with dull to very bright shades of red, orange, or yellow. Between the leafs appear the flowers, which are often similar in coloration. The fruit is a capsule up to 2 centimeters long.
Castilleja latifolia
Written by
in