Castilleja pallida var. caudata

(Pennell) B. Boivin

Naturaliste Canad. 79: 320. 1952.

Common names: Pale or yellow paintbrush
Illustrated
Basionym: Castilleja pallida subsp. caudata Pennell Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 86: 524. 1934
Synonyms: C. annua Pennell C. caudata (Pennell) Rebristaya C. pallida subsp. auricoma Pennell
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 17. Treatment on page 639. Mentioned on page 637.

Herbs biennial or short-lived perennial. Stems glabrate or hairs appressed proximally, spreading distally, medium length proximally, longer distally, eglandular. Leaves lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, rarely linear, (1.5–)5–7(–9) cm, apex acuminate, caudate, or acute, sometimes obtuse; lobe apex acute to obtuse. Inflorescences 2–16 cm; bracts yellow, cream, or greenish yellow throughout, sometimes proximally green or dull purple, proximal few lanceolate, most broadly lanceolate to ovate. Calyces proximally pale green to red-brown or purple, distally colored as bracts, 12–13 mm; abaxial clefts 7–7.8 mm, adaxial 8.4–12.1 mm, clefts 50–60% of calyx length, lateral (1.5–)3–4(–7) mm, 20–40% of calyx length; lobes linear, sometimes triangular. Corollas slightly curved, 22–26 mm; tube 14–16 mm; beak margins white and often also deep purple or red-brown, or yellowish; abaxial lip with 1–3 of the colors green, purple, white, cream, or rose red, as a solid color or in 2 or 3 horizontal layers, 3–4 mm. 2n = 72.


Phenology: Flowering Jun–Aug(–Sep).
Habitat: Moist tundra, peatlands, stream banks, forests, bluffs, terraces, roadsides.
Elevation: 0–1700 m.

Distribution

B.C., N.W.T., Nunavut, Yukon, Alaska, ne Asia.

Discussion

Variety caudata is both widespread and variable throughout much of Alaska and enters western and northern Yukon and into extreme northern British Columbia. The precise eastern extent of its range is incompletely known, especially since it is often similar to and easily confused with both var. yukonis and northern variants of Castilleja elegans and C. raupii. It apparently occurs in far northeastern Asia, but its status and distribution there is incompletely understood. See additional notes for this form under 81. C. pallida.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
J. Mark Egger +, Peter F. Zika +, Barbara L. Wilson +, Richard E. Brainerd +  and Nick Otting +
(Pennell) B. Boivin +
Castilleja pallida subsp. caudata +
Pale or yellow paintbrush +
B.C. +, N.W.T. +, Nunavut +, Yukon +, Alaska +  and ne Asia. +
0–1700 m. +
Moist tundra, peatlands, stream banks, forests, bluffs, terraces, roadsides. +
Flowering Jun–Aug(–Sep). +
Naturaliste Canad. +
Illustrated +
C. annua +, C. caudata +  and C. pallida subsp. auricoma +
Castilleja pallida var. caudata +
Castilleja pallida +
variety +