Red Paintbrush

My first sighting of the year!

When I was a kid I remember that we called them Indian Red Paintbrushes. I took it quite literally, and imagined that this was what my native ancestors actually used for their artwork. I suppose now we'd have to call them Native American Red Paintbrushes hahaha. But my field guide simply calls them a Scarlet Paintbrush/Castilleja of which there are up to 200 different species. They are, apparently, a freeloading kind of plant who joins roots with their neighbours in order to steal nutrients. Huh. Go figure.