#HubsPhoto Paintbrush

Castilleja linariifolia, also known as Wyoming Paintbrush and Indian Paintbrush, blooms in the badland hills just north of Cody, Wyoming. I encountered many blooms on a short walk through “Shooter’s Hole” on an early June morning. Wyoming paintbrush is Wyoming’s state flower.

One unusal thing about the pretty plant is that it is a parasite. The roots of this plant will grow until they touch the roots of other plants, frequently grasses, penetrating these host roots to obtain a portion of their nutrients. The scientific term for such a plants are hemiparasites.