Lesser Indian paintbrush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lesser Indian paintbrush |
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|---|---|
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| subsp. minor | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Castilleja
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| Species: |
minor
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Castilleja minor, also known as the lesser Indian paintbrush, is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to a plant family called Orobanchaceae. This plant grows naturally in western North America. You can find it from British Columbia in Canada all the way down to California and New Mexico in the United States. It loves to grow in wet places, like meadows that have springs.
What Does Lesser Indian Paintbrush Look Like?
This plant is an annual herb. This means it lives for only one growing season. It usually grows a single, thin stem. This stem can reach heights from about 30 centimeters (about a foot) to over a meter (more than three feet) tall!
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of the lesser Indian paintbrush are long and narrow, shaped like a spear. They can be several centimeters long. At the top of the stem, you'll see a cluster of flowers called an inflorescence. This cluster has special leaves called bracts. These bracts are bright green at the bottom and turn a vibrant red at their tips. The actual flowers are smaller and yellowish.
Fruit
After the flowers bloom, the plant produces a fruit. This fruit is a small capsule, just over a centimeter long. It holds the seeds for the next generation of plants.
