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Castilleja

noun
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Cas·​til·​le·​ja
variants: or less commonly Castilleia \ ˌkastəˈlē(y)ə \

Definition of Castilleja

: 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

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History and Etymology for Castilleja

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

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“Castilleja.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Castilleja. Accessed 23 January 2020.

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