Castilleja grisea

San Clemente Island Paintbrush

FWS Focus

Overview

Characteristics
Overview

The San Clemente Island paintbrush is a hemi-parasitic perennial herb to subshrub in the broomrape family (Orobanchaceae). It was initially listed as endangered in 1977 as threats to the species included non-native herbivores, land use, erosion, non-native plants, fire and fire management and climate change climate change
Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth's climate system and caused change on a global scale.

Learn more about climate change
. Due to the removal of non-native herbivores and the Navy’s development of an Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan to implement erosion and fire control measures, the species recovered to the point where it was delisted in 2023.

Scientific Name

Castilleja grisea
Common Name
San Clemente Island Indian paintbrush
San Clemente Island Paintbrush
FWS Category
Flowering Plants
Kingdom

Location in Taxonomic Tree

Identification Numbers

TSN:

Characteristics

Characteristic category

Physical Characteristics

Characteristics
Size & Shape

It is a highly branched subshrub between 1 and 2.5 feet tall.

Color & Pattern

It is covered with dense white, wooly hairs and has yellow flowers.

Characteristic category

Habitat

Characteristics
Habitat

It is found in several habitats across the island including coastal sage scrub and maritime cactus scrub plant communities.

Geography

Characteristics
Range

It is endemic to San Clemente Island, Los Angeles County, California. It is found in steep rocky canyons on both the eastern and western sides of the island, and on coastal bluffs, slopes and flats around the island’s perimeter.

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