Plant News Articles

Scientists offer reward for rare plant

Conservation scientists in Oregon are looking for a rare plant that once covered the Willamette Valley, but has not been recorded by botanists in Oregon since 1910. The plant is Castilleja levisecta, commonly known as "Golden Paintbrush." It's endangered (possibly extinct) in Oregon, and scientists want to bring it back. Currently there is a test plot growing seeds collected in Washington state near Salem, but Oregon native seeds would probably fare better because of their presumed adaptation to the local environment. There is a $100 reward for anyone who finds a native golden paintbrush in Oregon. Golden paintbrush was a victim of farming and housing development, according to Ted Thomas, a senior ecologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It grows best in grasslands with few or no trees or shrubs, which are often the first areas to be developed. The chances of finding golden paintbrush in Oregon are slim, but not impossible. As part of the Golden Paintbrush Challenge, the Institute for Applied Ecology is posting "wanted" posters with pictures and descriptions of the plant. Their hope is that some plot of land in a remote corner of Oregon has managed to escape the plow and the bulldozer and sustained Oregon golden paintbrush undiscovered. We wish them the best of luck!