Wholeleaf Indian paintbrush (so named, presumably, to distinguish it from splitleaf Indian paintbrush) is
a North American native, one of about 200 species of Castilleja. If you're interested in
Castillejas, don't miss Mark Egger's superb
photographic compilation on Flickr. They appear from April
to October. See also this Castilleja comparison table.
Identification: Plants are up to 1½′ (50 cm) in height, covered
with fuzzy white hairs. Leaves are linear, long and narrow, hairless on top and hairy beneath,
often curled and almost tubular in shape. The
leaves are entire, that is, not divided into lobes or forks as they often are with other Indian paintbrushes.
Flowers are greenish in color, with a bright scarlet tinge; but they are largely hidden by the bracts,
specialized leaves that are red-orange or sometimes yellowish in color.
The red flowers are the C. integra. White flowers are locoweed. · 7/7/1999 · Florissant and Lake George area, Colorado · By Tim Chandler
8/26/2014 · Near Sandstone Bluffs, El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico · ≈ 2 × 1′ (59 × 39 cm)
8/26/2014 · Near Sandstone Bluffs, El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico · ≈ 7 × 11″ (18 × 28 cm)
5/21/2009 · Grand Canyon South Rim, Arizona
8/26/2014 · Rt. 53, El Malpais Nat. Monument, El Caldaron Area, El Malpais, New Mexico · ≈ 6 × 9″ (16 × 23 cm) ID is uncertain