Paintbrush

Franciscan paintbrush, I believe it is called, and this plant only grows in California. Adorned with tropical tones, Castilleja subinclusa stands out rather freakishly from the background coastal scrub and grassland. It seemed alien where I found it, while hiking with Catey on the north side of Dias Ridge in the Marin Headlands, belonging rather in the Costa Rica jungle clinging to a towering tree.

I laid on my belly for this shot, as if I were hiding from some extraterrestrial invader stalking me on the savanna. 

Franciscan paintbrush, GGNRA (Marin County), March 2013.

I don't know much about indian paintbtrush, but there are several in North America. The genus Castilleja host paintbrushes and owl's clovers, all of which are hemi-parasites: meaning they use chlorophyll as well as the sugars of other plants, connected at the roots, for survival. 

Looking for more information about this species, which I did not find, led me to poke around iNaturalist.org for the first time. If you're not convinced of nature's intrinsic beauty and mystery, I encourage you to visit. Check out this incredible slime mold picture, for starters. 

And more from the same photographer: click here. Wow!