"Castilleja coccinea" Indian Paintbrush
SCIENTIFIC NAME: "Castilleja," for Domingo Castillejo (fl. 1781), a Spanish botanist + "coccinea," Latin for scarlet. Reference is to the color of the flowers.
COMMON NAME: Indian Paintbrush, from the appearance of the flowers that resemble a brush dipped in paint. American Indians obtained dye from this plant.
This typical entry from "A ""Dictionary of Common ""Wildflowers"" of Texas and the Southern Great Plains" illustrates the synthesis the book provides between scientific and common names of the plants. Intended as a companion to field...