Castilleja rubida

Piper

Purple Alpine Indian-paintbrush

G1Critically Imperiled Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G1Critically ImperiledGlobal Rank
Very highThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.151647
Element CodePDSCR0D2T0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderScrophulariales
FamilyOrobanchaceae
GenusCastilleja
Other Common Names
Purple Alpine 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 Date2024-05-01
Change Date2024-05-01
Edition Date2024-04-15
Edition AuthorsVrilakas, S. and L. Oliver (2012), rev. J. Johnson (2024)
Threat ImpactVery high
Range Extent<100 square km (less than about 40 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank Reasons
Castilleja rubida is restricted to high elevations in the Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon. It is abundant where it occurs; however, it is threatened by recently introduced mountain goats that trample plants and degrade the habitat.
Range Extent Comments
Castilleja rubida occurs in the western United States where it is restricted to high elevations in the Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon. Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1993 and 2024 (CPNH2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024). One historic specimen from the Hurricane Creek drainage was not included due to the ephemeral nature of the population. Additional specimens collected outside of the Wallowa Mountains are mislabeled collections of other taxa (M. Egger, pers. comm., 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are six occurrences rangewide (CPNH 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Castilleja rubida is threatened by introduced mountain goats and climate change (OBIC 2019, NatureServe 2024).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species is usually on open, bare limestone ridges and summits, alpine meadows, and talus fields, above 2500 m (CPNH 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Terrestrial Habitats
Alpine
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN1
ProvinceRankNative
OregonS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceNegligible (<1%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesNegligible (<1%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesPervasive (71-100%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesPervasive (71-100%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
11 - Climate change & severe weatherPervasive (71-100%)Extreme or 71-100% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
11.1 - Habitat shifting & alterationPervasive (71-100%)Extreme or 71-100% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Oregon (1)
AreaForestAcres
Hurricane CreekWallowa-Whitman National Forest1,606
References (9)
  1. Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria (CPNWH). 2024. Online database of vascular plant specimens from the Pacific Northwest. Online. Available: http://www.pnwherbaria.org/index.php (accessed 2024).
  2. Egger, Mark. Personal communication. Museum Research Associate, University of Washington Herbarium at the Burke Museum (WTU), Seattle.
  3. 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.
  4. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  5. 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.
  6. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (OBIC). 2019. Element Subnational Ranking Form: <i>Castilleja rubida</i> in Biotics 5 database. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia (accessed 2024)
  8. Peck, M.E. 1961. A manual of the higher plants of Oregon. 2nd edition. Binsford &amp; Mort, Portland, Oregon. 936 pp.
  9. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).