![]() ![]() This species can be found in numerous habitats throughout BC, including open woods, wet and dry meadows, fens, grassy slopes, tidal marshes, clearings, roadsides, thickets, and gravel bars. This perennial plant grows 20-80 cm tall from a woody base, and may grow singly or in clusters. The dark-coloured stems bear 3-10 cm long lance-shaped, pointed leaves. The bracts can vary from light orange to bright red or scarlet, and can occasionally be yellow, while the small flowers are green and tubular, appearing somewhat leaf-like among the bracts. Bloom season: As early as March, as late as September.Common red paintbrush is most easily identified by the vibrant red-hued tuft topping each stem, like the end of a paintbrush this structure looks like a flower but is actually a cluster of bracts surrounding the plant's many small, inconspicuous flowers.Plant location: Headed east on Colorado 96 towards Lake Pueblo State Park - May 5, 2010.Various other tribes used the plant as its name suggests - as a paintbrush.' Nevada Indian Tribes used the plant to treat venereal diseases and to enhance the immune system. The high selenium content of this plant has been cited as the reason for its effectiveness for these purposes. Per WIKIPEDIA are these: 'The Chippewa Indians used a hairwash made from Indian Paintbrush to make their hair glossy and full bodied and as a treatment for rheumatism. Jemez (Preservative)ĭried bracts mixed with chile seeds to prevent spoilage during storage. Plant held by women for decoration during the harvest dance. Zuni Dye - Root bark used with minerals to color deerskin black. Apache, White Mountain Dye - Root bark used with other substances to color various kinds of skins, especially deer skin. Decoction of leaf taken during pregnancy to keep baby small, for easy labor. ![]() Navajo, Ramah Drug (Blood Medicine)Ĭompound decoction of root used to "clean out the blood" after internal injury. Infusion of crushed leaves taken for stomach troubles. USES: The website Native American Ethnobotany has the following records of uses of this species by native americans. That said, see the next insert on historical uses of the species. Indian Paintbrush has similar health benefits to consuming garlic if only the flowers are eaten in small amounts and in moderation. This plant should be avoided as food if found growing in highly alkaline soils, which will increase the selenium levels in the plants. The plants are native (for one) to the west of the Americas.Ĭaution: As with other paintbrushes the plants have a tendency to absorb and concentrate Selenium in their tissues from the soils in which they grow, and can be potentially very toxic if the roots or green parts of the plant are consumed in large quantities. The species linariifolia was made the state flower of Wyoming in 1917. The genus contains about 200 species per WIKIPEDIA. Some are low to the road and others obvious from a passing car. Hwy 96 is busting out all over with wildflowers already. Meanwhile this lovely plant was entirely satisfying to our urge to discover early blooming wildflowers. That, and a good number of other stops for wildflowers, saw us arrive there so late in the day that we kept going and will try another time. These lively colored plants yanked us out of our car on our way to Lake Pueblo State Park where we hoped to find the elusive Wheel Milkweed. WIKIPEDIA has this on the re-classification: 'These plants are classified in the family Orobanchaceae ( following major rearrangements of the order Lamiales starting around 2001 sources which do not follow these reclassifications may place them in the Scrophulariaceae).' End quote. Wholeleaf Indian Paintbrush -or- Squawfeather Paintbrush (Castilleja integra), family Orobanchaceae (Broomrape)įamily was Scrophulariaceae (Figwort). ![]()
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