Castilleja

noun

Cas·​til·​le·​ja
variants or less commonly Castilleia
ˌkastəˈlē(y)ə
: a large genus of root-parasitic herbs (family Scrophulariaceae) abundant in western North America and characterized by irregular hooded flowers in dense spikes usually with brightly colored bracts see indian paintbrush

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, irregular (influence of Spanish -eja, diminutive suffix) from Juan Castillo y López

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Cite this Entry

“Castilleja.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Castilleja. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

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