Castilleja arvensis (Painted Cup)

Native from Mexico through Central and South America to northern Argentina and Uruguay, and on Hispaniola, this annual herb grows about 4 to 32 inches tall. It photosynthesizes while drawing water and nutrients through connections to neighboring plants’ roots. Hairy stems bear narrow leaves with three prominent veins. Red, orange, or occasionally yellow tips on the upper bracts surround small greenish, hooded flowers. Rounded capsules contain tiny seeds. In Colombia, it occurs between about 3,300 and 11,500 feet. It is naturalized in Hawaii, USA, where it grows along roadsides and can colonize lava flows. Photographed in Ecuador.