Monte Neva Indian-paintbrush (Castilleja salsuginosa)

Image of Castilleja salsuginosa Photo Credit: Mark Egger

Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Orobanchaceae
State: NV
Nature Serve ID: 136541
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection: 03/06/1993

Description:

Castilleja salsuginosa is a Nevada endemic and occurs in extremely fragile habitats. This herbaceous perennial is approximately 1.8 dm tall. The entire plant appears purplish to brown, on some occasions it may appear gray. The inflorescence is marked with cream and pink colored bracts and petals. This plant flowers June-July. This plant may be parasitic however more research would help to determine this possibility.

Where is Monte Neva Indian-paintbrush (Castilleja salsuginosa) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Castilleja salsuginosa occurs in an alkaline meadow environment. The clay saline soil is wet and damp and it rest on hummocks and salty mounds of hot springs deposits created along the washes that drain the mineral springs. The water temperature at this location is cold. This species grows at the elevation of about 1830 m.

Distribution:

There are only 1-2 known occurrences of this species. This plant is likely restricted to areas that are occupied by mineral spring drainages.

States & Provinces:

Monte Neva Indian-paintbrush can be found in Nevada

Which CPC Partners conserve Monte Neva Indian-paintbrush (Castilleja salsuginosa)?

Red Butte Garden and Arboretum

Not Sponsored

Assigned 06/09/17

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

A Nevada endemic with only 1-2 known occurrences in a unique, fragile hot springs habitat (apparently, this species is restricted to the particular edaphic situation created by a few mineral spring drainages).?Threats to this species include water diversion away from the hot springs, herbivory, land ownership and land access issues, and climate change.?There are some taxonomic questions about this taxon, such as whether it should be a variety of Castilleja nana or if the Hot Springs Hill population represents a new taxon. Regardless of these issues, what is considered 'salsuginosa' material is a restricted, rare, endemic that should be protected.