Common paintbrush' genus, Castilleja, is named for 18th century Spanish botanist Domingo Castillejo.
Chromosa, meaning "color," is a reference to the bright red flowerheads. If you're interested in
Castillejas, don't miss Mark Egger's superb
photographic compilation on Flickr. See also this Castilleja comparison table.
Identification: Plants are less than 2′ (60 cm) tall, sometimes as little
as 4″ (10 cm). Leaves are linear-lanceolate (long and narrow or shaped like a lance), composed of
three to five narrow lobes, like fingers. They are ¾-2½″ (2-7 cm)
in length
The intensely bright red (or red-orange or yellow) "flowers" are really bracts—modified leaves, each up to 1½″ (3.8 cm) long. The real flowers are mostly hidden, tubular in shape, and yellow-green in color.
They appear from May to September. Fruits are a two-chambered capsule.
Unlike Castilleja angustifolia, this plant is found
below 3200′ (975 m); in fact, it is found below sea level, in Death Valley National Monument.