Indian Paintbrush

Fig. 1 Indian Paintbrush with very few
visible green leaves

Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja cocinea) can be a particularly striking plant, especially when found in large communities on the roadside. As the name suggest, the inflorescence looks a bit like a paintbrush, however I'm not certain about the reasoning behind making them "Indian" paintbrushes (I suspect the blame lies with old and outdated ideas and connotations about the color of the flowers...). Although these flowers are rather pretty, that is pretty much the only color that the plant produces. the leaves tend to take on similar colors as the flowers and are at best a very faint green color. These plants do not need to spend energy making chlorophyll because they are mostly parasitic and therefore does not depend on photosynthesis as a means to obtain nutrients. These plants were found at Wilderness State Park in Emmet County, which is as far north in the lower peninsula you can get before crossing into the upper peninsula. These plants are pollinated by "hovering" insects and birds dew to the lack of areas for creatures to land on or near the plant (its just too awkward for others to try and always ends in tears).

Fig. 2 Close up of Indian Paintbrush an
inflorescence