Indian Paint-brush.Castilleia coccinea.Painted Cup.
Found in June, growing in low grounds, and wet meadows.
The single, leafy stalk rises from a cluster of root-leaves; it is 8 to 10 inches in height, somewhat square-angled, and hollow, of a tough, rather course fibre, with a hairy surface. Color, dull crimson, the short hairs being gray or white.
The root-leaves are oblong, seldom notched; on the stalk the lowest leaves are narrow, while above they are wedge-shaped and generally deeply cleft into 3 lobes; the margins are entire, and the surface is hairy. In color a light clear green; the ends of the upper leaves and those which supports the flowers look as though they had been dipped in a scarlet dye. The leaves all sit immediately upon the stalk; they are placed alternately, and at some distance apart, but more crowded among the flowers.
The small corolla of the flower is tubular and 2-lipped, yellow and green in color; it is almost concealed within the long cylindrical 2-cleft calyx, which is colored a clear light green with a scarlet margin. The long curving pistil is green tinted. The flowers are set in the clasp of the upper leaves, and form a close terminal cluster.
Quite eclipsed by the gorgeous hues of the floral leaves and calices, the paler flower hides its head, its long pistil alone claiming attention. The exact marking of the vivid scarlet upon the tips makes the folk-name “Paintbrush” more applicable to its general aspect, than that of “Painted Cup,” which of course only applies to the effect of the single calyx. In some localities the color is not scarlet, but yellow, it is reported. The plant is called a parasite by the botanists: it therefore may not be transplanted but glows in splendid patches of color in favorite camps of its own choosing.