Broadbract indian paintbrush (Castilleja rigida)
Description
Castilleja rigida is a somewhat uncommon plant, found in the US only in far west Texas, close to the upper Rio Grande in low-elevation regions of the Chihuahuan Desert; it is associated with agave lecheguilla, and is probably parasitic. The modified red leaves (bracts) along the upper few inches of each stem are short, rounded and overlapping, while the flowers - thin yellow tubes - project a little way above, right at the tip. Stems, leaves and the base of the bracts are green following rainfall but all become purplish during dry periods.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Lamiales
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Family: Orobanchaceae
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Genus: Castilleja
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