A genus of colorful wildflowers, commonly called Indian paintbrush, with distinctive red, orange, or yellow flower-like bracts.
Named in honor of Domingo Castillejo, an 18th-century Spanish botanist. The genus was formally established by Mutis in 1801. It's a Latinized Spanish surname used as a scientific name.
Indian paintbrush flowers aren't actually flowers—the colorful parts are modified leaves called bracts, while the real tiny flowers hide inside! The plant was named after a Spanish botanist most people have never heard of, which is how taxonomy honors scientists.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.