Castilleja campestris

Herbs, annual, (0.3–)0.9–3 dm; with fibrous roots. Stems solitary or few, erect, unbranched, sometimes branched, glabrous or hairs sparse proximally, spreading, long, soft distally. Leaves green, sometimes purple-tinged, linear to narrowly lanceolate, (0.4–)1–4 cm, not fleshy, thin and flexible or thick and ± brittle, margins plane, involute, 0-lobed, apex acuminate. Inflorescences 2–15 × 2–3 cm; bracts green throughout, sometimes purplish tinged, linear to narrowly lanceolate, 0-lobed, apex acute. Calyces proximally green, pale, or purplish, distally purple or green, 5.5–11 mm; abaxial and adaxial clefts 2–5 mm, 30–50% of calyx length, deeper than laterals, lateral 1.5–2.5 mm, 25–30% of calyx length; lobes linear-lanceolate to narrowly triangular, apex acute to acuminate. Corollas straight, 11–26 mm; tube 10–22 mm; abaxial lip, beak, and part of tube exserted from calyx; beak adaxially white or yellow, 3–6 mm; abaxial lip yellow, sometimes orange, paler near teeth, prominent, deeply saccate with 3 lobes at ca. 90° from one another, pouches 6–10 mm wide, 3–4 mm deep, abruptly widening from tube, sacs ± round or ± rounded-triangular from above, villous within at base of teeth, 4–5 mm (2–4 mm from sinus), 70–90% as long as beak, puberulent; teeth erect, white, sometimes with deeply colored bases, 0.5–2 mm. 2n = 24.

Distribution

w United States.

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Castilleja campestris is sometimes confused with Triphysaria eriantha subsp. eriantha, but C. campestris has two-celled anthers and entire leaves, while T. eriantha has one pollen sac per stamen and strongly divided leaves.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Castilleja campestris var. campestris, Castilleja campestris var. succulenta

Key

1	Leaves and bracts linear; leaves thin, flexible; bracts shorter than or ± equal to flowers; corollas light to bright yellow; proximal pollen sacs to 1/3 length of distal.	Castilleja campestris var. campestris
1	Leaves and bracts lanceolate; leaves thick, ± brittle; bracts longer than flowers; corollas usually yellow to orange; proximal pollen sacs ca. 1/2 length of distal.	Castilleja campestris var. succulenta