#«Qutdoors TheReview Wednesday, September 11,1991 — A21 Abundance of color from paintbrush One of our most abundant wild- flowers is surely the Indian Paint- brush. Many will recall the excitement of coming upon a brilliant display of these very handsome flowers for they are widely distributed throughout our area. Taking altitude into considera- tion, the blooming period is a long one with early flowers at their best at lower levels in spring. In high alpine meadows, they reserve the glory of their superb bloom for very late summer or early fall. Paintbrush is a very appropriate name for the members of this group since the upper stems almost invariably appear to have been dipped in bright paint of arresting hue. The many forms of paintbrush are not easily identified since they are so variable in color. For instance, the Common Red Paintbrush may be a delicate pink, bright scarlet, crimson, pale yel- low, purplish, or even white due to albinism. i Such variation is not unusual in Ss ome other species as well. Never- theless, the blaze of intense color exhibited by thousands of closely spaced paintbrush, be they upon the seashore on the West Coast or extravagantly brightening a high alpine meadow, is a sight which remains indelibly in the memory. Depending upon the season, paintbrush is found commonly KAYAKING! PORT SIONEY MARINA e TELEPHONE (604) 655-3711 displaying its brilliant hues from the southern deserts and moun- tains of the southwestern United States, north through enormous regions of Canada to the Arctic coast and on into Alaska. Paintbrushes are perennials but telatively few observers ever see the actual flowers since they are so small and invariably hidden by the plethora of large showy bracts on the the upper stems. The “flowers” with which most of us are familiar are really clus- ters of specialized leaves or bracts of different hues. The lower stem leaves contain chlorophyll and, as in the vast majority of plants, are green in color The upper sfems almost invariably appear fo have been dipped in bright paint of arresting hue’ The small true blooms may only be seen by carefully folding back the the bright bracts and exposing the slender two-lipped corolla enclosing the anthers. The writer has much to learn about the paintbrushes, since their many parts are so variable and, as in the willows, many hybrids abound. The paintbrush was named “Castilleja” after the Spanish bot- anist, Don Domingo Castile, who found it in Central America. On the Peninsula, the Indian Paintbrush often shares its domain with cerulean lupine, dark blue larkspur and paler camas; on the West Coast (Pacific Rim), with beach silvertop, with beach mom- ing glory and many other species. In the Arctic, we found it flour- ishing with lupine, saxifrage, dryas, Arctic rhododendron, numerous wintergreens, elephant head and low-growing cranberry. In Texas, a brilliant coral-pink form is more than enough to brighten a day under dark forbid- ding clouds and driving rain. Lights for busy intersection The four-way stop intersection of West Saanich Road and Keating Crossroad will be governed by. traffic signal lights after a recent council motion. Central Saanich is contributing half the cost, up to $35,000, tow- ard the province’s Transportation : Ministry initiative to install traffic {| Houns-icam-sam Mons lights at the intersection en route to 656-5556 Butchart Gardens. Council approved the expendi- ture Aug. 19: * UPHOLSTERY * ANTIQUES El JAY LYN JEWELLERS All Done’on Location #12 - 2510 Bevan Ave. *DRAPERIES KETC. R PERSONALIZED 6655 TRUDEAU TERRACE BRENTWOOD BAY, B.C. B.F.Goodrich 1/2 PRICESiie SALE BUY ONE TIRE AT REGULAR PRICE RECEIVE THE SECOND TIRE AT HALF PRICE. GURTON'S GARAGE LTD. TIRE LAND SIDNEY VISA * SHELL * MASTERCARD Corner of McTavish & E. Saanich Rd. 656-3939 CLEARANCE Selected Frames from — Our Regular Stock Ss K #140 - 2376 BEVAN AVE. Sidney — in Sidney Centre — 655-1122 Ke Dp Be De te be te SEPT. 16nd (Registration must be done in person) 6772 OLDFIELD RD. 652-5444