Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 2(1): 298. 1878.
Herbs, perennial, 1.5–3 dm; from a woody caudex; with a taproot. Stems several, erect or ascending, branched or unbranched, sometimes with axillary tufts of leaves, hairs spreading to ± appressed, ± matted, short, soft, eglandular. Leaves green to purple, linear to narrowly lanceolate, 1.3–7 cm, not fleshy, margins plane, sometimes ± wavy, involute, 3–5-lobed, apex acute to obtuse; lobes ascending, linear to narrowly lanceolate, apex acute. Inflorescences 4.5–18 × 1.5–3.5 cm; bracts proximally pale greenish to dull greenish brown, distally orange, reddish orange, or pale orange, sometimes reddish, lanceolate to oblong, 3 (–5) -lobed; lobes ascending to spreading, linear to broadly lanceolate or oblanceolate, proximal ones usually arising below mid length, rarely at or above mid length, apex obtuse to acute. Calyces proximally greenish or pale, distally colored as bracts, 23–33 mm; abaxial and adaxial clefts 10–15 mm, 40–50% of calyx length, deeper than laterals, lateral 7–11 mm, 20–35% of calyx length; lobes oblong to broadly linear, central lobe apex obtuse to rounded, lateral ones acute to rounded. Corollas ± curved, 30–40 mm; tube 20–27 mm; beak, sometimes teeth of abaxial lip, exserted; beak adaxially green to yellowish, 8–15 mm; abaxial lip green, reduced, 2–3.5 mm, 20–25% as long as beak; teeth prominent, petaloid, spreading to erect, colored as in distal portion of bracts, 0.5–3 mm.
Phenology: Flowering Jan–May.
Habitat: Rocky slopes, ridges, grasslands, pastures, open forests, roadsides, sometimes over limestone or granite.
Elevation: 200–800 m.
Castilleja lindheimeri is endemic to the Edwards Plateau region. Unlike its close relatives, C. citrina and C. purpurea, most plants of C. lindheimeri have orange to reddish orange inflorescences, with smaller numbers varying to red. The leaves are also often less divided than in either C. citrina or C. purpurea.
"obtuse" is not a number.