Castilleja sessiliflora, downy paintedcup
Walsh, Roberta A. 1993. Castilleja sessiliflora, downy paintedcup. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://research.fs.usda.gov/feis/species-reviews/casses
| Abbreviation | Common Name | Scientific Name | Classification | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plants | ||||
| CASSES | downy paintedcup | Castilleja sessiliflora | Life Form: Plants/Forb, Plants/Subshrub Kingdom: Plantae Class: Dicot Order: Scrophulariales Family: Scrophulariaceae Genus: Castilleja | Fed. Protected: No Nativity: Native Invasiveness: Noninvasive |
Taxonomy
The currently accepted scientific name of downy paintedcup is Castilleja sessiliflora Pursh [1,11,14]. It is a member of the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae). There are no recognized subspecies, varieties, or forms.
Synonyms
- No entry
Other Common Names
downy paintbrush, Indian paintbrush, downy painted-cup, downy yellow painted cup, yellow Indian paintbrush, largeflower Indianpainbrush
General Distribution
Downy paintedcup occurs in the Great Plains from southern Canada south to western Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and northern Mexico [1,14,17]. It also occurs on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains from Montana south to Colorado. There are disjunct populations in northern Illinois, northwestern Missouri, and northwestern Montana [3,4,5,6,11,15,24].
States and Provinces
- United States: AZ, CO, IL, KS, MO, MT, NE, NM, ND, OK, SD, TX, WI, WY
- Canada: MB, SK
- Mexico
Site Characteristics
Downy paintedcup grows throughout its range on dry plains and hills [11,14,17]. Its elevational range is as follows [3,23,29,33]:
| State | Elevation (feet) | Elevation (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 3,960-5,610 | 1,200-1,700 |
| North Dakota | 1,740 | 527 |
| South Dakota | 3,620-5,030 | 1,097-1,524 |
| Wisconsin | 900 | 273 |
In Missouri and Nebraska downy paintedcup occurs on dry, wind-deposited, fine sandy-loam soils [16,18].
In North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska, downy paintedcup occurs in a dry-continental climate with hot summers. More than half the annual precipitation occurs during summer months, but uneven annual amount and distribution, as well as drought, are common [3,12,18,29]. In Arizona, more than half the scant precipitation occurs from July to October [23].
In Arizona, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, downy paintedcup occurs on soils with limestone substrate [18,23,33].
Plant Communities
See the Appendix for plant communities and cover types in which this species may occur.
Botanical Description
Downy paintedcup is a native, hemiparasitic, perennial forb [1,14]. It has one to several leafy, simple stems from 3.5 to 14 inches (9-35 cm) tall. It is decumbent at the base and has a woody root crown [14]. The fruit is a capsule [1,14]. Castilleja species have an average root depth of 11 inches (28 cm), with a range of 10 to 12 inches (25-30 cm) [8]. In Wisconsin, downy paintedcup is obligately hemiparastic on eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) and oldfield juniper (J. communis var. depressa) [33].
Downy paintedcup.
Raunkiaer Life Form (Raunkiaer 1934)
- Hemicryptophyte
Seasonal Development
In central North Dakota temperature appears to be more important than precipitation in influencing the phenology of downy paintedcup. Over a 6-year period, the earliest yearly first bloom varied from May 18 to June 13. The median date of full flowering was June 9 [3]. In southwestern North Dakota the average date of earliest bloom was May 18. Growth started from the root crown in April, and 8 percent of final height was achieved in that month. By the end of May 98 percent of final height was achieved, with growth ending in June [12,14]. In southern Wisconsin flowering occurs from early May through mid-June [33].
Regeneration Processes
Downy paintedcup regenerates vegetatively by sprouting each year from the root crown. It also regenerates sexually. In Wisconsin, pollination was accomplished exclusively by bumblebee queens of one species (Bombus fervidus). Morphology of the flowers excluded all other insects [33]. Greens and Curtis [15] reported a seed germination rate increase from 0 percent to 3 percent with 2 months of cold stratification in a greenhouse. Seeds were not scarified or otherwise treated.
Successional Status
No entry
Immediate Fire Effects
Castilleja species were moderately damaged by prescribed fire in Utah [26].
Postfire Regeneration Strategy (Stickney 1989)
- Caudex, growing points in soil
- Secondary colonizer - off-site seed
Fire Adaptations
Information regarding downy paintedcup fire ecology is sparse. Downy paintedcup grows each year from a woody root crown, which may allow for regeneration after fire [14].
Plant Response to Fire
No entry.
Fire Regimes
For fire regime information, search FEIS for this species by entering the species name or acronym on the home page and selecting “Fire Regime” as the publication type.
Fire Management Considerations
No entry.
Federal Status
No entry.
Other Status
Downy paintedcup is listed as extirpated in Missouri [25].
Importance to Wildlife and Livestock
There is no information available regarding animal use of downy paintedcup. Castilleja spp. are generally poor forage, but in South Dakota they provide substantial amounts of feed for sheep, deer, and elk [17]. In Utah, Castilleja species were classed as desirable based on use by livestock [26]. They are a minor part of the diet of Rocky Mountain elk [20]. Castilleja species were rated lowest in forage preference for grizzly bear in the northern Rocky Mountains [22].
In Idaho sage grouse chicks eat the flowers and fruits of Castilleja angustifolia [13].
Palatability and Nutritional Value
No entry.
Cover Value
No entry.
Value for Rehabilitation or Restoration of Disturbed Sites
Downy paintedcup seeds were planted in a prairie restoration project in Wisconsin, but did not establish [30].
Other Uses
No entry.
Other Management Considerations
No entry.
Table A1— Forest and range ecosystems, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) physiographic regions, Kuchler plant associations, Society for American Foresters (SAF) forest cover types, and Society for Rangeland Management (SRM) rangeland cover types in which this species occurs.
Forest and Range Ecosystems (Garrison et al. 1977)
- FRES31 Shinnery
- FRES32 Texas savanna
- FRES33 Southwestern shrubsteppe
- FRES38 Plains grasslands
- FRES39 Prairie
BLM Physiographic Regions (Bernard and Brown 1977)
- 7 Lower Basin and Range
- 8 Northern Rocky Mountains
- 10 Wyoming Basin
- 13 Rocky Mountain Piedmont
- 14 Great Plains
- 15 Black Hills Uplift
- 16 Upper Missouri Basin and Broken Land
Kuchler Plant Associations (Kuchler 1964)
- K058 Grama - tobosa shrubsteppe
- K059 Trans-Pecos shrub savanna
- K060 Mesquite savanna
- K064 Grama - needlegrass – wheatgrass
- K065 Grama – buffalograss
- K066 Wheatgrass – needlegrass
- K067 Wheatgrass - bluestem – needlegrass
- K068 Wheatgrass - grama – buffalograss
- K069 Bluestem - grama prairie
- K071 Shinnery
- K074 Bluestem prairie
- K075 Nebraska Sandhills prairie
- K082 Mosaic of K074 and K100
SAF Cover Types (Eyre 1980)
- 67 Mohrs ("shin") oak
- 68 Mesquite
SRM Rangeland Cover Types (Shiflet 1994)
- No entry
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