San Bernardino Mountains Indian paintbrush facts for kids

The Castilleja lasiorhyncha is a type of wildflower often called the San Bernardino Mountains Indian paintbrush. It gets its name because its bright flowers look a bit like a paintbrush dipped in paint! This plant is special because it is endemic to southern California. This means it naturally grows only in this specific area and nowhere else in the world.

Most of these plants are found in the San Bernardino Mountains. Here, they thrive in beautiful forests and open meadows. Today, you can find Castilleja lasiorhyncha mainly in San Bernardino County. There might also be some populations in San Diego County. In the past, they were also seen in Riverside County.

What Does the San Bernardino Mountains Indian Paintbrush Look Like?

This wildflower is an annual herb, which means it lives for only one growing season. It usually grows to be about 20 centimeters tall, which is roughly the length of a standard ruler.

Its stem and leaves are covered in soft, woolly hairs. These hairs are also glandular, meaning they might produce a sticky substance. The plant's flowers grow in a loose, narrow cluster called an inflorescence. This cluster has green leaf-like parts called bracts. The actual flowers are larger and have bright yellow petals that are rounded and look a bit like small pouches. Each flower also has a whitish, hairy part that looks like a small beak.