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Scrophulariaceae
The Chisos Paintbrush is known only from the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park, Texas. It is reportedly hemiparisitic, obtaining water and nutrients from host plants by forming haustorial connections with the roots of nearby grasses and other plants. It is found among Quercus incana chaparral near a hiking trail in the Chisos Mountains. Trail improvements, trampling and removal of flowers by hikers are the primary threats to C. elongata. C. elongata may be adapted to fire, as plants were observed growing in recently burned areas. The species is listed as a Category 1 under the Endangered Species Act.
C. elongata plants are herbaceous perennials with linear gray-green leaves. Floral bracts and calyces are a bright red-orange in color, making an extremely attractive display when plants are blooming. Seeds are produced by both self- and cross-pollination and are borne in capsules with small holes at the top. In 1992, the species was taxonomically submerged in the far more widespread C. integra (Nesom, G.L., "A new species of Castilleja (Scrophulariaceae) from south central Texas, with comments on other Texas taxa." Phytologia 72:3).
Desert Botanical Garden has established an adequate seedbank of C. elongata, and is currently conducting germination tests on both recently collected seeds, and older seeds. Plants resulting from past tests have produced copious amounts of seeds in cultivation in the with no manipulation. The Garden plans to continue to produce seed in cultivation that could be used for research or augmentation purposes in the future.
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