LANCELEAF PAINTBRUSH 



Castilleja lancifolia Rydberg 



The habit of the lanceleaf paintbrush is quite different from that 

 of many other members of the genus Castilleja, as it has a long creep- 

 ing, perennial rootstock. Usually it is found in moist woods on the 

 lower levels of the eastern slopes of the Rockies. Being protected by 

 sheltering trees and herbs from the sharp frosts that often come in 

 mid- August, it is one of the last flowers to be found in full bloom. 

 The vivid red of the bracts surrounding the flowers, which form 

 dense spikes at the ends of the stiff stems, is especially noticeable to 

 one traveling the mountain trails at this season. In burnt-timber areas 

 it is likely to have survived the ravages of fire, since the rootstock is 

 protected from the heat by the soil above. 



This striking member of the Figwort Family ranges from Colo- 

 rado and Utah north to Alberta and Alaska. 



The specimen sketched was found in the valley of the Pipestone 

 River, fifteen miles north of Lake Louise, Alberta, at an altitude of 

 5,500 feet. 



PLATE IOi 



