Unalaska paintbrush, Alaska Indian Paintbrush, Unalaska Indian-paintbrush • Castilleja unalaschcensis
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Top: unalaska paintbrush in the Koeye River watershed, near a salt marsh. Photo by Georgia Brander. Bottom right: photo by Jennifer Elliot. Bottom left Unalaska paintbrush at the Koeye River estuary, amongst silverweed. Photo by Kali Gehringer. The slight orange tinge of these flowers may indicate hybridization with common red paintbrush.
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Identification
This perennial plant grows from a woody stem-base, with many stems clustered together and growing 20-80 cm tall. The leaves, which grow in an alternating fashion along the stem, vary from lance to wedge- or egg-shaped. Both the leaves and the stem may or may not be hairy, though the stem is more likely to be hairy near the top. The flowers are not the paintbrush-like tufts of yellow 'petals' at the top of the stem: these are actually bracts which surround the small, inconspicuous flowers that are green and tubular, which appear somewhat leaf-like among the bracts. The bracts may vary in colour from greenish-yellow to yellow.
Habitat & Range
Unalaska paintbrush is found in many open habitats, including grassy meadows, beaches, the upper portions of tidal marshes, rocky sea bluffs, and open forests. It is generally found from low to middle elevations, but sometimes higher, to subalpine. This species is not generally found south of Haida Gwaii, ranging north through the Yukon Territory and coastal Alaska.
Similar Species
There are many similar species in the same genus that may be found on the Central Coast, including the small-flowered paintbrush (C. parviflora) harsh paintbrush (C. hispida var. hispida), alpine paintbrush (C. rhexifolia), and common red paintbrush (C. miniata). None of these species have the same colouring as the unalaska paintbrush, however. Small-flowered paintbrush is generally found only at higher elevations, in subalpine and alpine meadows. Both harsh and alpine paintbrush are restricted to a more southern range, not usually ranging further north than northern Vancouver Island. Alpine paintbrush may extend northwards, but at much higher elevations.
Common red paintbrush does commonly co-occur in the region, but it has red or scarlet 'flowers' (bracts) that distinguish it from the unalaska paintbrush. Additionally, common paintbrush bracts usually have one or two pairs of sharp teeth or lobes (or are sharply pointed if entire), whereas unalaska paintbrush bracts tend to be rounded and entire, or sometimes with short blunt lobes or teeth.
Intriguing Info
A similar species found further south is known as the golden paintbrush, and is also yellow-topped. It is found further south, however, on Vancouver Island in western Washington. The coloured bracts are a brighter, golden yellow, and sticky-hairy.
Unalaska paintbrush regularly hybridizes with common red paintbrush - this may result in red- or orange-tinged flowers, such as the ones seen above.
This perennial plant grows from a woody stem-base, with many stems clustered together and growing 20-80 cm tall. The leaves, which grow in an alternating fashion along the stem, vary from lance to wedge- or egg-shaped. Both the leaves and the stem may or may not be hairy, though the stem is more likely to be hairy near the top. The flowers are not the paintbrush-like tufts of yellow 'petals' at the top of the stem: these are actually bracts which surround the small, inconspicuous flowers that are green and tubular, which appear somewhat leaf-like among the bracts. The bracts may vary in colour from greenish-yellow to yellow.
Habitat & Range
Unalaska paintbrush is found in many open habitats, including grassy meadows, beaches, the upper portions of tidal marshes, rocky sea bluffs, and open forests. It is generally found from low to middle elevations, but sometimes higher, to subalpine. This species is not generally found south of Haida Gwaii, ranging north through the Yukon Territory and coastal Alaska.
Similar Species
There are many similar species in the same genus that may be found on the Central Coast, including the small-flowered paintbrush (C. parviflora) harsh paintbrush (C. hispida var. hispida), alpine paintbrush (C. rhexifolia), and common red paintbrush (C. miniata). None of these species have the same colouring as the unalaska paintbrush, however. Small-flowered paintbrush is generally found only at higher elevations, in subalpine and alpine meadows. Both harsh and alpine paintbrush are restricted to a more southern range, not usually ranging further north than northern Vancouver Island. Alpine paintbrush may extend northwards, but at much higher elevations.
Common red paintbrush does commonly co-occur in the region, but it has red or scarlet 'flowers' (bracts) that distinguish it from the unalaska paintbrush. Additionally, common paintbrush bracts usually have one or two pairs of sharp teeth or lobes (or are sharply pointed if entire), whereas unalaska paintbrush bracts tend to be rounded and entire, or sometimes with short blunt lobes or teeth.
Intriguing Info
A similar species found further south is known as the golden paintbrush, and is also yellow-topped. It is found further south, however, on Vancouver Island in western Washington. The coloured bracts are a brighter, golden yellow, and sticky-hairy.
Unalaska paintbrush regularly hybridizes with common red paintbrush - this may result in red- or orange-tinged flowers, such as the ones seen above.
References
Castilleja unalaschcensis (Cham. & Schltdl.) Malte. Alaska Indian paintbrush. USDA Plants Profile. Accessed 27/04/2013.
Castilleja unalaschcensis (Cham. & Schltdl.) Malte. Alaska Indian paintbrush; Unalaska Indian-paintbrush; Unalaska paintbrush. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.). E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed on 27/04/2013.
Pojar, J. and MacKinnon, A. (2005). Plants of Coastal British Columbia, Revised. Vancouver, BC: Lone Pine Publishing. P. 257.
Authors and editors of page
Chanda Brietzke and Brian Starzomski (2013).
Castilleja unalaschcensis (Cham. & Schltdl.) Malte. Alaska Indian paintbrush. USDA Plants Profile. Accessed 27/04/2013.
Castilleja unalaschcensis (Cham. & Schltdl.) Malte. Alaska Indian paintbrush; Unalaska Indian-paintbrush; Unalaska paintbrush. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.). E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed on 27/04/2013.
Pojar, J. and MacKinnon, A. (2005). Plants of Coastal British Columbia, Revised. Vancouver, BC: Lone Pine Publishing. P. 257.
Authors and editors of page
Chanda Brietzke and Brian Starzomski (2013).
