ALBERTA PAINTBRUSH 



Castilleja miniata Bentham 



No group of plants that we have observed in the Canadian Rockies 

 exhibits such a wonderful variety of color as the species of Castilleja, 

 almost universally known as paintbrushes, which are representatives 

 of the Figwort Family. All tints from white, through yellow, green, 

 pink, red, and winecolor, with every degree of shade between, are to 

 be seen in nature's gardens. Some are dazzlingly brilliant, but others 

 are softly shaded with the deepest color on the tips of the bracts form- 

 ing the head. Even in the same species there is often a surprising 

 variation in coloring, and isolated plants of forms with normally red 

 bracts have yellow bracted spikes. 



This species of paintbrush ranges from Montana and Washington 

 north to Alberta and Saskatchewan. 



The specimen painted grew near our camp on the headwaters of 

 the Clearwater River, forty-five miles by trail north of Lake Louise, 

 Alberta, at an altitude of 6,500 feet. 



PLATE 372. 



