-
Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja), family Orobanchaceae (Broomrape). The extact species of this paintbrush is unknown. Per WIKIPEDIA is the following on the genus: 'Castilleja, commonly known as Indian paintbrush or Prairie-fire, is a genus of about 200 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants native to the west of the Americas from Alaska south to the Andes, as well as northeast Asia. These plants are classified in the family Orobanchaceae, They are semi-parasitic on the roots of grasses and forbs. Castilleja species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Schinia cupes (which has been recorded on C. exserta) and Schinia pulchripennis (which feeds exclusively on C. exserta), and checkerspot
butterflies such as Euphydryas species. One of the species of this genus, Castilleja linariifolia, was adopted on January 31, 1917 as the state flower of Wyoming. The flowers of Indian paintbrush are edible and sweet, and were consumed in moderation by various American Indian tribes as a condiment with other fresh greens. These plants have a tendency to absorb and concentrate Selenium in their tissues from the soils in which they grow, and can be potentially very toxic if the roots or green parts of the plant are consumed. The Chippewa Indians used a hairwash made from Indian Paintbrush to make their hair glossy and full bodied and as a treatment for rheumatism. The high selenium content of this plant has been cited as the reason for its effectiveness for these purposes. Nevada Indian Tribes used the plant to treat venereal diseases and to enhance the immune system. Various other tribes used the plant as its name suggests -- as a paintbrush. The high Selenium content of this plant makes it potentially toxic
if consumed in large quantities. This plant should be avoided as food if found growing in highly alkaline soils, which will increase the selenium levels in the plants. Indian Paintbrush has similar health benefits to consuming garlic if only the flowers are eaten in small amounts and in moderation.' End quote. 
Plant location: Twisp Washington on July 27, 2007. 
Bloom period: Without the specific species, we are unsure. 
Orange Hawkweed -or- Devil's Paintbrush (Hieracium aurantiacum), Asteraceae (Aster-Sunflower). These brilliantly colored blooms almost evaded our camera. While the color of the petals was a stunning eye-catcher, the flowers were not especially large and on tall slender stalks with little foliage to capture attention. We only noticed the plants off the roadside from our car having been stopped for bison in the roadway. We marked the location and returned early the following morning to photograph the beauties. The petals of every flower were closed for business! Making a point of returning to our campground in the park by the same road to catch the plants on our return route, they were closed that evening as well! Third time was a charm. The plants are native to alpine regions of central and southern Europe. While protected
in some of those regions, in Australia in Tasmania it is quarantined. Controlled as a noxious weed in New Zeland, it is watched closely. It is on the noxious weeds and/or quarantine lists of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington. As that may be, we had never seen these plants and found them stunning to look upon. In the park we saw only a few specimens in the one location.
Plant location: The fantastic Yellowstone National Park hosted this specimen. We saw it there on August 30, 2009. Elevation 7874'. GPS coordinates N44.34.748 W110.22.787
Bloom season: June through August -
Orange Daylily, Tawny Daylily, Tiger Daylily, or Ditch Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva), family Liliaceae (Lily). Another example of a beautiful plant that has become too much of a good thing in the United States. This plant has been classed as an invasive weed throughout much of the United States and Canada. This species is native to Asia from the Caucas=us east through the Himalaya to China, Japan, Korea, and southeastern Russia. They certainly are striking looking! There are only 6 species in the genus Hemerocallis. Per Flora of North America is this: 'Following an earlier European introduction from Asia, Hemerocallis fulva was brought to North America in the seventeenth century. This commonly cultivated daylily,
the wild type, is distinguished as cultivar 'Europa' Stout and is a self-sterile triploid producing no seed. Essentially, it is a large, complex clone. Plants persist from cultivation or have arisen from root or rhizome fragments, which are capable of plant regeneration. Cultivar 'Kwanso' Regel, another ancient garden selection, persists in many areas along with the wild type and has fully doubled flowers. In eastern Asia, both diploids and triploids occur in the H. fulva complex and have been the basis for extensive breeding and tetraploid cultivar selection'. End quote. 
Plant location: Seen near Brighton Colorado on July 3, 2008. Found on roadsides, waste places, homesteads, open forests, and stream banks which was the case with our sighting. 
Bloom period: Early summer to late autumn. The individual flowers last only one day. -
Scarlet Bugler -or- Golden-beard penstemon, -or- Beardlip penstemon (Penstemon barbatus), family was Scrophulariaceae (Figwort), re-classed to family Plantaginaceae (Plantain). This less showy penstemon was noticeable for it's pretty fire-red color. Per Weber in Colorado Flora Eastern Slope there is only one species of barbatus in Colorado, variety torreyi. See another interesting varient, trichander, recorded by Al Schneider of Southwest Colorado Wildflowers here. The plants are native to the western United States.
USES: Recorded uses by Native American are quite a few. Per the website Native American Ethnobotany are these: Navajo, Ramah Drug (Analgesic) Decoction of root taken for menstrual pain and stomachache. Cold infusion or powdered plant applied to burns. Decoction of plant taken for cough. Honey sucked from flower by pregnant woman to keep baby small for easy labor. Simple or compound decoction of root taken for menstrual pain. (Panacea) Decoction of plant taken for internal injuries, a "life medicine." (Veterinary Aid) Poultice of plant applied to sheep for fractured legs. Apache, White Mountain Drug (Witchcraft Medicine) Plant used as a magic medicine. Zuni Drug (Hunting Medicine) Chewed root rubbed over the rabbit stick to insure success in the hunt. Keres, Western Other (Decorations) Flowers used for bouquets and decorations in dances.
Fun Fact: Per WIKIPEDIA: The late-summer flowering of Penstemon barbatus coincides with the southern migration of the Rufous hummingbird, and the hummingbirds use the Scarlet buglers as "filling stations" for their long trip south.
Plant location: Seen in the Mesa Verde National Park on September 13, 2009. The species is supposed to be abundant there but due to the late season we saw few examples. Found in these United States: AZ , CO , NM , TX , UT
Bloom season: The plants are perennials. -
Wax Currant -or- Squaw Currant (Ribes cereum), family Grossulariaceae (Gooseberry). This species of current is native to North America (including British Columbia) and is a powerhouse of Native American uses (see below). It is found throughout most of the Western United States. The perennial shrubs are one of about 65 species in the genus Ribes. Red currants and gooseberries have 73-95% of the daily allowance of vitamin C.
USES: There are many records of uses of Ribes cereum by Native American tribes. Some of them are: Hopi Drug - Used for stomach pains. Berries used for food. Berries eaten with fresh piki bread. Thompson - Berries eaten for diarrhea. Decoction of branches with many other branches used to wash babies to make them strong. Insipid, bright orange-red fruits used for food. Navajo, Kayenta Drug - Plant used as an Evilway, Nightway and Mountain-top-way emetic. Plant used to purify a child who has seen a forbidden sand painting. Poultice of plant applied to sores. Wood used to make arrow shafts. Zuni Food - Leaves eaten with uncooked mutton fat or deer fat. Highly relished berries used for food.
Plant location: Creedmore Lakes on August 31, 2008.
Bloom season: June to August -
Dwarf Leadplant -or- Dwarf False Indigo -or- Fragrant False Indigo (Amorpha nana), family Fabaceae (Pea). These lovely 'red pencils' are common to the Boulder Colorado area where we ran across them on a hike. The name is based on superstition, the plants are not toxic! The identity of the plants was unknown to us for a long time. It was delightful to learn 'who' they are. This is one of only 14 species in the genus Amorpha. USES: Navajo Drug (Respiratory Aid) Plant used as a snuff for catarrh. Per Plants for a Future are also these uses: The resinous pustules on some species yield the insecticide 'amorpha'. The plant has a strong spreading root system and this makes it useful for controlling soil erosion
Plant location: Found on June 3, 2009 in Boulder County Open Space. This species is recorded in the following United States: CO, IA, KS, MN, ND, NE, NM, OK, SD.
Bloom season: May through July. -
Hounds Tongue -or- Gypsyflower (Cynoglossum officinale), family Boraginaceae (Borage). This and the other 7 species in the genus Cynoglossum were accidently introduced to North America from Europe. It can be either annual or biennial. It is listed as a noxious weed in Colorado, Wyoming, Oregon, Washington, Montana, and Nevada. The plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which have caused poisoning and death in horses and cattle. The plant causes disorders of the central nervous system and can cause hepatic failure in horses, per the Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility. There are no reported cases of human poisoning, however houndstongue contains alkaloids that can cause cancer when the plant is consumed in large quantities. USES: Native American Ethnobotany has these uses by Native Americans: Iroquois Drug - Compound infusion of plants taken for consumption with hemorrhage. Decoction of plant used as a wash and applied as poultice to leg cancer. Compound infusion used as wash and applied as poultice to running sores. Decoction of roots taken and used as a wash for internal venereal disease.
FunFacts: The name houndstongue comes from the belief that it could, if a leaf was worn in the shoe, ward off dog attacks. Another common name for the plants is Rats and Mice - due to it's smell.
Plants for a Future: Hound's tongue has a long history of use as a medicinal herb, though it is rarely used in modern herbalism. The leaves contain allantoin, a highly effective agent that speeds up the healing process in the body. Caution should be applied, however, since narcotic effects result from large doses taken internally and the plant is potentially carcinogenic (though it has also been used in the treatment of cancer. The leaves and roots are analgesic, antihaemorrhoidal, antispasmodic, astringent, digestive, emollient and slightly narcotic. The plant contains the alkaloids cynoglossine and consolidin, which are used medicinally to relieve pain. They depress the central nervous system and are also potentially carcinogenic. The plant has been used internally in the treatment of coughs and diarrhoea, though it is now mainly used externally as a poultice on piles, wounds, minor injuries, bites and ulcers. The plant has a wide antitumour reputation for cancers of various types. A homeopathic remedy is made from the roots. It is very effective in the treatment of insomnia.
Plant location: Seen in the Rocky Mountain foothills in Colorado state at Hwy 72 and Plainview Road. The date was June 6, 2008. This species lives in wet places, waste land and hedges and is found in almost every state of the U.S. and a good deal of Canada.
Bloom season: May or June through August, with seeds ripening from August to September. -
Common Hollyhock (Alcea rosea), family Malvaceae (Mallow). The records on this genus wildly vary. Per WIKIPEDIA the genus has 60 species, while USDA names 2. Per William Weber in Colorado Flora; Eastern Slope - rosea is the only species of Alcea to be found in Colorado. The colors of rosea vary greatly also, from white to yellow to red and shades in between. Per the website Native American Ethnobotany, this species was used as a drug by the Shinnecock tribe, as a dermatological aid. The leaves used to apply an infusion of the flowers to inflamed areas. The website Plants for a Future has a wealth of information, quote: 'Edible - Young leaves - raw or cooked. A mild flavour, but the texture leaves something to be desired. They have been used as a pot-herb, though they are not particularly palatable. They can also be chopped up finely and added to salads. Inner portion of young stems - raw. Flower petals and flower buds - raw. Added to salads. A nutritious starch is obtained from the root. A refreshing tea is made from the flower petals. The roots and the flowers are used in Tibetan medicine, where they are said to have a sweet, acrid taste and a neutral potency. They are used in the treatment of inflammations of the kidneys/womb, vaginal/seminal discharge, and the roots on their own are used to treat loss of appetite. Other uses from the fibers of the plant are used as follows: Compost; Dye; Litmus; Oil; Paper.' End Quote. More photographs of Common Hollyhock here.
Plant location: Seen at N37°47.358 W107°40.378, elevation 9887', at a lovely campground just outside of Silverton Colorado off Hwy 789 - September 12, 2009. The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil. This species is found in almost every state of the United States. It is said to have originated in China and was imported to Europe.
Bloom season: July to September. -
Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella), family Polygonaceae (Knotweed). A perennial herb with 55 species in the genus. This is another species that blankets the United States and Canada and is often considered an invasive weed. That said, there are numerous benefits from the plants. Read on!
USES: From Native American Ethnobotany: Aleut Drug (Dermatological Aid) Poultice of steamed leaves applied to warts and bruises. Cherokee Drug (Dermatological Aid) Poultice of bruised leaves and blossoms applied to old sores. Species used for food. Leaves used for food. Mohegan Drug (Gastrointestinal Aid) Fresh leaves chewed as a stomach aid. Squaxin Drug (Tuberculosis Remedy) Raw leaves eaten for tuberculosis. Anticosti Food (Unspecified) Leaves eaten fresh by children. Bella Coola Food Leaves eaten raw. Chehalis Food Leaves eaten raw or boiled. Delaware Food Plant used as filling for pies. Hanaksiala Food Leaves eaten by children. Hesquiat Food (Sour) Tart, tangy leaves chewed by children. Iroquois Food (Spice) Used with salt in a brine for cucumbers. Iroquois Food (Vegetable) Eaten raw, sometimes with salt. Thompson Food - Leaves chewed by children for the tangy, sour taste. 
Plants For a Future: Leaves - raw or cooked. A delicious lemon-like flavour, most people consider them too strong to use in quantity, but they are excellent as a flavouring in mixed salads. The leaves should only be used in small quantities due to the oxalic acid content. The leaves can be used as thickeners in soups etc, they can also be dried for later use. Root - cooked. It can be dried, ground into a powder and made into noodles. Seed - raw or cooked. Easy to harvest, but the seed is rather small and fiddly to use. A drink similar to lemonade (but without the fizz) is made by boiling up the leaves.
Plant location: Marshall Valley Trail in the Boulder County Open Space on May 16, 2009.
Bloom season: May to October. -
Western Dock (Rumex aquaticus), family Polygonaceae (Buckwheat).
USES:
There are numerous recorded uses of Western Dock by Native American indian tribes from the website Native American Ethnobotany: Bella Coola Drug (Analgesic) Leaves used in a sweatbath for pains similar to rheumatism all over body. Poultice of leaves and mashed, roasted roots applied to boils and wounds. Haisla Drug - Plant used as a laxative. Hanaksiala Drug (Dermatological Aid) Roots cooked and inserted into wounds. Kwakiutl Drug (Gastrointestinal Aid) Boiled roots eaten and applied as poultice for stomachaches. Apache, Chiricahua & Mescalero Food (Unspecified) Leaves eaten without preparation or cooked with green chile and meat or animal bones. Bella Coola Food (Vegetable) Young leaves mashed, cooked,
mixed with grease and eaten like spinach. Hanaksiala Food (Beverage) Plant formerly used to make a type of home brew or wine. Also, Plant cooked & stored underground in barrels with stink currants & red elderberries for winter use. Montana Indian Food (Unspecified) Seeds used for food, and spring leaves used for "greens." End quotes.
Plant location: Another resident of Medicine Bow National Forest, Hwy 130 still in the park headed towards Saratoga. July 22, 2009. Wonderful area! 
Bloom season: The flowering season for this perennial herb is unknown. -
Hairy Flax -or- Prairie Flax -or- Plains Flax (Linum puberulum), family Linaceae (Flax). Linum puberulum is native to the western and midwestern United States from California to Nebraska to Texas. The annual herb is one of 37 species in the genus. USES: A variety of uses by Native Americans is recorded at the excellent website Native American Ethnobotany. They are: Apache, White Mountain Drug (Eye Medicine) Berry juice used as an eye medicine. Navajo, Ramah Drug (Gastrointestinal Aid) Decoction of leaves taken for heartburn. Infusion of plant taken to kill a swallowed red ant. Plant used as "life medicine." Zuni Drug (Eye Medicine) Berry juice squeezed into eye for inflammation. Keres, Western (Paint) Flowers made into yellow paint.
See the beautiful blue flax, Linum lewisii, here.
Plant location: Seen hiking the excellent Pawne Butte Trail #840 in Weld County Colorado on June 3, 2009. This view of the partially open bloom, and the inset, are in lieu of the plant view. We overlooked it. Found in the following United States: AZ, CA, CO, NE, NM, NV, TX, UT, WY.
Bloom season: Unknown -
Squawfeather Paintbrush (more commonly Wholeleaf Indian Paintbrush) (Castilleja integra), family was Scrophulariaceae (Figwort), now placed in Orobanchaceae (Broomrape). WIKIPEDIA has this on the re-classification: 'These plants are classified in the family Orobanchaceae (following major rearrangements of the order Lamiales starting around 2001; sources which do not follow these reclassifications may place them in the Scrophulariaceae).' End quote. These lively colored plants yanked us out of our car on our way to Lake Pueblo State Park where we hoped to find the elusive Wheel Milkweed. That, and a good number of other stops for wildflowers, saw us arrive there so late in the day that we kept going and will try another time. Meanwhile this lovely plant was entirely satisfying to our urge to discover early blooming wildflowers. Hwy 96 is busting out all over with wildflowers already. Some are low to the road and others obvious from a passing car. Well worth stopping for. The genus contains about 200 species per WIKIPEDIA. The species linariifolia was made the state flower of Wyoming in 1917. The plants are native (for one) to the west of the Americas. More WildflowersWest photographs here.
Caution: As with other paintbrushes the plants have a tendency to absorb and concentrate Selenium in their tissues from the soils in which they grow, and can be potentially very toxic if the roots or green parts of the plant are consumed in large quantities. This plant should be avoided as food if found growing in highly alkaline soils, which will increase the selenium levels in the plants. Indian Paintbrush has similar health benefits to consuming garlic if only the flowers are eaten in small amounts and in moderation. That said, see the next insert on historical uses of the species.
USES: The website Native American Ethnobotany has the following records of uses of this species by native americans. Navajo Drug (Burn Dressing) Plant used for burns. Infusion of crushed leaves taken for stomach troubles. Navajo, Ramah Drug (Blood Medicine) Compound decoction of root used to "clean out the blood" after internal injury. Decoction of leaf taken during pregnancy to keep baby small, for easy labor. Apache, White Mountain Dye - Root bark used with other substances to color various kinds of skins, especially deer skin. Zuni Dye - Root bark used with minerals to color deerskin black. Keres, Western Other (Ceremonial Items) Plant held by women for decoration during the harvest dance. Jemez Other (Preservative) Dried bracts mixed with chile seeds to prevent spoilage during storage. Per WIKIPEDIA are these: 'The Chippewa Indians used a hairwash made from Indian Paintbrush to make their hair glossy and full bodied and as a treatment for rheumatism. The high selenium content of this plant has been cited as the reason for its effectiveness for these purposes. Nevada Indian Tribes used the plant to treat venereal diseases and to enhance the immune system. Various other tribes used the plant as its name suggests -- as a paintbrush.'
Plant location: Headed east on Colorado 96 towards Lake Pueblo State Park - May 5, 2010. GPS coordinates N38°15.088 W105°01.092, elevation 5533'. GoogleMap has the closest town as Beulah Colorado but we never saw it. Too focused on wildflowers off the roadside probably :)
Bloom season: As early as March, as late as September.
