#orthocarpus

Meeting Castilleja exserta in the wild is a treat! I was very lucky to spot these little  pink flowers- it's still early in the winter rainy season for this species to be blooming. As climate change continues, I bet we'll see more early bloomers as these individuals spread their genes to the next generation. Some common names of this spring annual are escobita and purple Indian-paintbrush or owl clover. I've always wondered about name owl clover. Maybe the flowers resemble owls? Many owl clovers do cover the ground much like some clover species, creating a lawn like effect (most owl clover species are in the genus Orthocarpus. Castilleja exserta used to be O. purpurascens). I'm moving to Southern California soon and will hopefully meet C. exserta there. It'll be nice to see some familiar faces! #Orobanchaceae #SonoranDesert #Arizona #Castilleja #Castillejaexserta #Orthocarpus #indianpaintbrush #owlclover #botany #botanize #plants #nature #wildflowers #pink #winter #desert #tinythings (at Cave Creek Regional Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsMUhYLlhNZ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1847o21wr26g3

The top photo is of Mountain Owl-Clover (Orthocarpus Imbricatus) which was growing in the meadows of Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park. The actual flowers are the small, pink-tipped yellowish structures visible in between the pink petal-like bracts. The lower two photos are of the same species that I encountered in the Western Cascades of Oregon.

It's amazing how strange flowers can be! Here's a little pencil study and color trial for a Castilleja exserta piece I'm working on. I love turning tiny plants into larger than life illustrations! Especially the weird ones 😃. In yesterday's post, I didn't mention the micro-habitat I met these lovely little plants in. The 3rd photos shows a small depression in the ground off of a 2-track trail in a shallow valley. As you can see in the right side of the photo, there is a small, grassy berm. The berm serves as a dam, collecting and storing water whenever it’s available, allowing C. exserta and other small plants to take advantage of the increased moisture. The berm also roughly faces south, blocking the depression from direct sunlight for parts of the day and increasing moisture retention. The last photo was taken by Max Licher at Red Canyon Road, west of Sedona, and shows how C. exserta can carpet the ground. #Orobanchaceae #SonoranDesert #Arizona #Castilleja #Castillejaexserta #Orthocarpus #indianpaintbrush #owlclover #botany #botanize #plants #nature #wildflowers #pink #winter #desert #tinythings #art #science #scientificillustration #botanicalillustration #ecology #illustration (at Cave Creek, Arizona) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsObIAPlFsp/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ojnouayrizyp

Rosy Owl -Clover (Orthocarpus Bracteosus) is common in the fields and meadows of the Willamette Valley. This species can produce its own food through photosynthesis, but it acquires water and nutrients from the roots of surrounding plants. This parasitic nature is typical for many species in the Orobanchacheae family.