Castilleja lemmonii
Lemmon's indian paintbrush
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Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Castilleja lemmonii (Lemmon's indian paintbrush) is a native California herb in the Orobanchaceae family, recognized by prominent yellow-green lower lip and moist meadow habitat.
Lemmon's indian paintbrush is a California native perennial found in the high Sierra Nevada Mountains and Cascade Range in moist meadows at elevations of 1,550 to 3,700 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces pale yellow and yellow-green flowers with purple-red bracts and white or purple-tinged teeth, creating a vibrant display in alpine meadows. Growing with slender stems 10 to 20 centimeters tall, it remains generally unbranched and spreads with fine hairs and glandular texture. Its leaves are linear to lanceolate, measuring 20 to 40 millimeters long with zero to three narrow lobes. The small seed capsules are 7 to 9 millimeters long, with seeds featuring a delicate, loose-fitting netted coat.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 22 sympatric species; distinguished by prominent yellow-green lower lip and moist meadow habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist meadows
Elevation: 1550-3700 m
California counties: Tulare, Fresno, Tuolumne, Mono, Madera, Mariposa, El Dorado, Shasta, Inyo, Sierra, Nevada, Tehama, Lassen, Alpine, Placer, Plumas
Bloom period
Castilleja lemmonii blooms Jul-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Triphysaria: Castilleja lacks the sharp fold in flower throat; Triphysaria has abrupt crease above lower lip.; vs Trifolium: Castilleja has tubular flowers with colorful bracts; Trifolium has round heads of pea-like flowers and three leaflets.; vs Pedicularis: Castilleja has open forward beak and colorful bracts; Pedicularis has closed hood and fern-like leaves.; vs Orthocarpus: Castilleja has open beak you can see into; Orthocarpus has closed hood covering stamens completely.; vs Epilobium: Castilleja has tubular two-lipped flowers and colorful bracts; Epilobium has four separate petals arranged in cross.
Frequently asked questions
Is Castilleja lemmonii native to California?
Yes. Castilleja lemmonii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Castilleja lemmonii bloom?
Castilleja lemmonii blooms Jul-Aug.
Where in California does Castilleja lemmonii grow?
Castilleja lemmonii occurs in Tulare, Fresno, Tuolumne, Mono, Madera, Mariposa, El Dorado, Shasta and other counties, at elevations of 1550-3700 m.
What plant family does Castilleja lemmonii belong to?
Castilleja lemmonii is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Castilleja.
What habitat does Castilleja lemmonii grow in?
Castilleja lemmonii grows in Moist meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.