Castilleja subinclusa var. franciscana
Phytologia 73: 409. 1992.
Herbs 2.8–6.3 dm. Stems greenish, sometimes reddish, hairs matted to spreading, medium length or long. Leaves green, sometimes dull reddish, linear-lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, margins plane, sometimes ± wavy; lobe apex acute. Inflorescences 5–17 × 1.5–5 cm; bracts green or purple throughout, or distally bright red to orange-red, rarely yellow, 0(–3)-lobed. Calyces proximally green, pale green, or pale purple, distal 2/3 red to orange, 35–42 mm; abaxial clefts 20–27 mm, adaxial 11–13 mm, lateral 0–4 mm; lobe apex acute to obtuse. Corollas 38–57 mm; beak subequal to or exceeding calyx, beak and abaxial lip exserted through abaxial cleft; beak adaxially bright yellow, sometimes greenish yellow near apex, margins yellow, rarely orange or red, strongly contrasting with color of calyx; abaxial lip green or yellow; teeth green or yellow, 0.5–1 mm. 2n = 24, 48, 72, 96.
Phenology: Flowering Mar–Jul.
Habitat: Coastal scrub.
Elevation: 0–600 m.
Discussion
Variety franciscana is found in the coastal counties of northern and central California, from Humboldt County southward to Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. It is most common in the San Francisco Bay region. With its bright yellow corollas, it is the most distinctive of the three varieties.
Selected References
None.