Castilleja coccinea, commonly known as Scarlet Indian paintbrush or Scarlet painted-cup, is an upright, hairy, 1-to-7-decimeter (3.9 to 27.6 in) tall hemiparasitic plant. The stem is usually unbranched and rises from a basal rosette. The basal leaves are oblong and mostly entire, while the alternate stem leaves are deeply and irregularly lobed. Though it can survive on its own, studies indicate a forty-fold growth increase when its roots parasitize those of another plant for nutrients. The common names for this plant reflect the showy red calyx, inside of which is the actual greenish-yellow corolla ("flower"). It is primarily pollinated by ruby-throated hummingbirds who can transfer the pollen long distances between typically small and scattered populations of this plant. It is usually fou