Taxon Report

Castilleja litoralis Pennell

Oregon coast paintbrush

Print Report


©2010 Dana York

Taxon Summary

Castilleja litoralis, commonly known as Oregon coast paintbrush, is a perennial herb (hemiparasitic) in the Orobanchaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Coastal bluff scrub, Coastal dunes, and Coastal scrub, growing at elevations from 15 to 100 meters. Castilleja litoralis is ranked 2B.2, Plants Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California, But More Common Elsewhere; Moderately threatened in California.

  Classification
Scientific Name:
 Castilleja litoralis Pennell
Common Name:
 Oregon coast paintbrush
Family: Orobanchaceae
Element Code: PDSCR0D012
USDA Plants Symbol:
Synonyms/Other Names:
  • Castilleja affinis ssp. litoralis

Ecology and Life History
Lifeform: perennial herb (hemiparasitic)
Blooming Period: Jun Jun
Elevation: 15-100 (50-330)
General Habitats: Coastal bluff scrub, Coastal dunes, Coastal scrub
Microhabitat: Sandy
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status
CA Rare Plant Rank: 2B.2
Global Rank: G3
State Rank:
 S3
State List: None
Fed List: None
Other Status:
CRPR Changes:
  • changed from 2.2 to 2B.2 on 2013-06-12

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
Total Occurrences: 44
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 0
   Good (B) 7
   Fair (C) 6
   Poor (D) 0
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 31

Location
California Endemic:  False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Del Norte (DNT), Humboldt (HUM), Mendocino (MEN)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Albion (3912327), Bear Harbor (3912388), Cannibal Island (4012463), Cape Mendocino (4012444), Capetown (4012443), Crannell (4112411), Crescent City (4112472), Eureka (4012472), Fern Canyon (4112441), Ferndale (4012453), Fields Landing (4012462), Fort Bragg (3912347), Mendocino (3912337), Mistake Point (3912378), Orick (4112431), Petrolia (4012433), Requa (4112451), Rodgers Peak (4112421), Shelter Cove (4012411), Sister Rocks (4112462), Smith River (4112482), Trinidad (4112412)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 6
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
11 25 %
Erosion/runoff 10 22%
Non-native plant impacts 7 15%
Other 2 4%
Road/trail construction/maint. 2 4%
Recreational use (non-ORV) 1 2%
Foot traffic/trampling 1 2%

Notes
Threatened by development, recreational activities, and erosion. See C. affinis ssp. litoralis in TJM 2. See Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 99:183 (1947) for original description, and Novon 2(3):185 (1992) for alternative nomenclature.
Threats:
Taxonomy:

Selected References

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 11 September 2025].