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Castilleja chlorotica

Piper

Green-tinged Indian-paintbrush

G3Vulnerable Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.143459
Element CodePDSCR0D0C0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderScrophulariales
FamilyOrobanchaceae
GenusCastilleja
Other Common Names
Green-tinge Indian-paintbrush (EN) greentinge Indian paintbrush (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-02-24
Change Date1984-07-16
Edition Date2025-02-24
Edition AuthorsRoth, E. (1987), rev. E.Joyal (1998), rev. Soteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Castilleja chlorotica is a perennial hemiparasitic herb in higher elevation, white fir-ponderosa pine forest openings and forest margins dependent on mid- to late-seral sagebrush understory for hosts. It is endemic to central Oregon in the northwestern United States. There are an estimated 77 occurrences which face threats from grazing and trampling by cattle, possible mining activities, road maintenance, logging, planting for silviculture, recreational activities, fire suppression leading to succession, deer browsing, and invasive species. Monitoring of populations should be conducted to improve our understanding of reproduction, plant abundance, threats, and trends, as well as continuing conservation measures to protect the taxon.
Range Extent Comments
Castilleja chlorotica is endemic to central Oregon in the northwestern United States where it has been documented on Pine Mountain and in the Cascades (Crook and Deschutes counties) and Gearhart Mountain (Klamath and Lake counties) (FNA 2019). Range extent was estimated to be 14,104 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are 77 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by grazing and trampling by cattle, possible mining activities, road maintenance, logging, planting for silviculture, recreational activities (especially off-road vehicles and mountain bike trails), fire suppression leading to succession, deer browsing, invasive species (including cheatgrass), and other threats in some places, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species (NatureServe 2025).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Castilleja chlorotica grows in "dry open pine forests, often with sagebrush understory, rocky ridges and summits, montane to subalpine" in "loose, sandy soils, often in shallow soiled (often with basalt outcrops or rocks present) higher elevation, white fir-ponderosa pine forest openings and in forest margins. Associated species [include] Penstemon davidsonii, Artemisia tridentata, Heuchera cylindrica, and Idaho fescue" (OBIC 2010, FNA 2019).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest EdgeWoodland - Conifer
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
OregonS3Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureUnknownSerious - moderateHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingUnknownSerious - moderateHigh (continuing)
3 - Energy production & miningUnknownSerious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
3.2 - Mining & quarryingUnknownSerious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
4 - Transportation & service corridorsUnknownModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroadsUnknownModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
5 - Biological resource useUnknownSerious - slightHigh (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingUnknownSerious - slightHigh (continuing)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceUnknownSerious - slightHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesUnknownSerious - slightHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsUnknownModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionUnknownModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.1.2 - Suppression in fire frequency/intensityUnknownModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8.1.1 - Unspecified speciesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8.2 - Problematic native species/diseasesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8.2.2 - Named speciesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Oregon (1)
AreaForestAcres
BearwallowsDeschutes National Forest7,317
References (8)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2019. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 17: Magnoliophyta: Tetrachondraceae to Orobanchaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 737 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  6. NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2024. Version: 1.1.1 (released Oct 01, 2024).
  7. Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (OBIC). 2010. Element Subnational Ranking Form: <i>Castilleja chlorotica</i> in Biotics 5 database. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia (accessed 24 Feb 2025).
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).