Paintbrush are *hemiparasitic* - plants that photosynthesize, but are also parasitic, tapping into the roots of grasses and other plants to gain nutrients.

Word of the day:
*bract – a specialized leaf surrounding a flower, sometimes larger than the flower itself.  Poinsettia is a common example where the showy, red leaves (bracts) ring the smaller, yellow flower at the center. Paintbrush bracts are reddish green overlapping scales, protecting the yellow-tipped flower within.