Taxon Report

Castilleja hololeuca Greene

island white-felted paintbrush

Print Report


Keir Morse

Taxon Summary

Castilleja hololeuca, commonly known as island white-felted paintbrush, is a perennial herb (hemiparasitic) in the Orobanchaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Chaparral, Closed-cone coniferous forest, and Coastal scrub, growing at elevations from 20 to 365 meters. Castilleja hololeuca is ranked 4.3, Plants of Limited Distribution, A Watch List; Not very threatened in California.


  Classification

Scientific Name:
Castilleja hololeuca Greene
Common Name:
island white-felted paintbrush
Family: Orobanchaceae
Element Code: PDSCR0D1L1
USDA Plants Symbol:
Synonyms/Other Names:
  • Castilleja lanata ssp. hololeuca

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial herb (hemiparasitic)
Blooming Period: Feb-Sep Feb-Sep
Elevation: 20-365 (65-1200)
General Habitats: Chaparral, Closed-cone coniferous forest, Coastal scrub
Microhabitat: Rocky
Microhabitat Details:

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Total Occurrences: 41
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 0
   Good (B) 1
   Fair (C) 0
   Poor (D) 0
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 40
California Endemic:  True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Santa Barbara (SBA), Ventura (VEN)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Anacapa Island (3311983), San Miguel Island East (3312083), San Miguel Island West (3312084), Santa Cruz Island A (3311987), Santa Cruz Island B (3311986), Santa Cruz Island C (3311985), Santa Cruz Island D (3311984), Santa Rosa Island East (3311988), Santa Rosa Island North (3312081), Santa Rosa Island South (3312071)

Notes

Former declines caused by nonnative herbivores and grazing pressure. C. hololeuca population size and areal extent have increased since nonnative herbivores have been removed from the northern Channel Islands.
Threats:
Some occurrences potentially threatened by erosion.
Taxonomy:
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 22 February 2025].