Indian paint brush

plant
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

Also known as: Castilleja, paint brush, painted cup, painted lady
Also called:
Painted Cup, Painted Lady, orPaint Brush
Related Topics:
Orobanchaceae

Indian paint brush, any plant of the genus Castilleja (family Scrophulariaceae), which contains about 200 species of partially or wholly parasitic plants that derive nourishment from the roots of other plants. For this reason the plants are seldom cultivated successfully in the flower garden. The small, tubular flowers are irregular (two-lipped). They are surrounded by upper leaves that are brightly coloured either throughout or at the ends only, giving the plant an appearance of having been dipped in a pot of red, orange, yellow, pink, or white paint.