SafePlants

Castilleja sessiliflora: The Downy Painted Cup

Castilleja sessiliflora, commonly known as Downy Painted Cup, Downy Paintbrush, Great Plains Paintbrush, or Great Plains Indian-paintbrush, is a fascinating plant with unique characteristics.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Castilleja sessiliflora Pursh
• Common Names: Downy Painted Cup, Downy Paintbrush, Great Plains Paintbrush, Great Plains Indian-paintbrush, Downy Yellow Painted Cup, Downy Indian Paintbrush
• Family: Scrophulariaceae (Snapdragon family)

Ecological Role and Habitat

• Castilleja sessiliflora is a hemiparasitic plant, meaning it obtains some of its nutrients by attaching to the roots of other plants.
• It's typically found in dry, infertile soil, often in association with short grasses in prairie ecosystems.
• Specific locations mentioned include the Loess Hill Prairie in Mississippi, hill prairie remnants in Allamakee County, Iowa, Heritage Valley, and Montana.

Morphological Characteristics

• The plant has dense, leafy spikes.
• It produces pale yellow, tubular flowers that are approximately 1 inch in size.
• Overall, the plant has a yellowish to gray-green appearance.
• Flowers are described as medium-sized with irregular shapes.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Observed instances of herbivory have been noted on Castilleja sessiliflora in Iowa.
• Flower-visiting birds have been observed interacting with Yellow Painted Cup in Illinois.

Distribution

• The ISM Herbarium has records documenting the distribution of Castilleja sessiliflora specimens.
• It is found in the Great Plains region of North America.

Quirky Facts

• In Mississippi, the Downy Painted Cup is specifically found at the Loess Hill Prairie.

Further Information

• Dave's Garden offers a community forum for sharing gardening tips and information.
• The RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) provides help and information on Castilleja sessiliflora.