Taxon Report

Castilleja gleasoni Elmer

Mt. Gleason paintbrush

Print Report

Taxon Summary

Castilleja gleasoni, commonly known as Mt. Gleason paintbrush, is a perennial herb (hemiparasitic) in the Orobanchaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Chaparral, Lower montane coniferous forest, and Pinyon and juniper woodland, growing at elevations from 1160 to 2170 meters. Castilleja gleasoni is ranked 1B.2, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Moderately threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Castilleja gleasoni Elmer
Common Name:	Mt. Gleason paintbrush
Family:	Orobanchaceae
Element Code:	PDSCR0D140
USDA Plants Symbol:
Synonyms/Other Names:	Castilleja gleasonii

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	perennial herb (hemiparasitic)
Blooming Period: May-Jun(Sep)	May-Jun(Sep)
Elevation:	1160-2170 (3805-7120)
General Habitats:	Chaparral, Lower montane coniferous forest, Pinyon and juniper woodland
Microhabitat:	Granitic
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	1B.2
Global Rank:	G2
State Rank:	S2
State List:	CR
Fed List:	None
Other Status:	BLM_S; SB_CalBG/RSABG; USFS_S
CRPR Changes:

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	33
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	1
Good (B)	6
Fair (C)	3
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	0
Unknown (U)	23

Location


California Endemic: True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Acton (3411842), Chilao Flat (3411831), Condor Peak (3411832), Glendora (3411727), Liebre Mtn. (3411866), Pacifico Mountain (3411841), Waterman Mtn. (3411738)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	9
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	7	21 %
Road/trail construction/maint.	6	18%
ORV activity	4	12%
Recreational use (non-ORV)	2	6%
Wood cutting or brush clearing	2	6%
Foot traffic/trampling	2	6%
Improper burning regime	2	6%
Logging	2	6%
Non-native plant impacts	1	3%
Development	1	3%

Notes



Threatened by proximity to campgrounds, fuelwood cutting, recreational activities, vehicles, and road maintenance. See C. pruinosa in The Jepson Manual (1993). Angeles NF has adopted species management guidelines. See Botanical Gazette 39:51 (1905) for original description.
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 24 October 2025].