Pedicularis capitata : Many-headed Lousewort

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)

Genera: Pedicularis (Lousewort, Fernweed) (Lat. pediculus = a louse; animals who ate these plants were said to be protected from lice.)

Species: capitata (Lat. capus = a head; referring to the dense, head-like cluster of flowers)

English Name(s):

Many-headed Lousewort, Few-flowered/ head-shaped Lousewort/ Fernplant

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Plants herbaceous (not woody).
• From a slender branched rhizome (rootstalk).
• Stems simple (unbranched), scapose (no leaves) or rarely 1-2 leaves, glabrous (hairless) or short-pubescent (hiary).

Leaves:

• Mostly basal, pinnately divided, long petioled (stalked).
• Segments lobed or deeply cut and margins toothed.
• glabrous to pubescent.

Reproductive Parts:

• Inflorescence (flower cluster) capitate (head-like), with leaf like bracts, flowers few to several.
• Flowers perfect (bisexual), irregular in symetry.
• Calyx (sepals) 5-lobed, 9-16mm long, lobed 4-10mm long, tips somewhat round toothed.
• Corolla (petals) 25-40mm long, creamy yellow tinged with rose or purple at apex, upper lip strongly arched usually with a pair of teeth near the tip, lower lip 3-lobed, hairy at the base, half as long as upper lip.
• Stamens (male parts) 4, in 2 pairs.

Seed:

• Fruit is a capsule.
• Seed capsules flattened, splitting open lenghtwise between the partitions into the central cavity, 12-15mm long.
• Seeds large, relatively few per plant.

Not to Be Confused With:

• This Pedicularis (Lousewort) is easily distinguished from the others in our region by its fewer but larger and arched flowers.

Physiology:

• These plants are partial parasites with no outward sing of differing from normal, self-supporting plants.
• The corolla (petals) acts as a tiny greenhouse and the average temperature inside are 4C higher than outside on sunny caml days.

Life Cycle:

• Perennial

Seasonal Cycle:

• Leaves deciduous (falling off).
• In bloom to mid-July.
• Gone to seed by end of July.

Animal Uses:

• Animals will not eat these plants as they contain poisonous glycosides.
• Their blossoms are typical bee flowers, with landing platforms, abundant nectar, and bright colours.
• It is interesting to note that Pedicularis (Louseworts) and Bombus (Bumblebees) share the same geographic range.
• In some areas these plants are entirely dependent on bumblebees for pollenation.

Habitat:

Moist or dry, calcareous, gravelly, tundra or heath.

Modern:

Industrial:

• Flower stalks, dried, are used for olive green dye.
• Despite its name, no reference to the use of Pedicularis (Louseworts) for repelling lice was found.

Medicinal:

• An infusion using 7-15ml per 250ml water is said to be an effective sedative. It is also said to act as a mild relaxant for skeletal muscles and the cerebruim, queting anxiety and tension.
• The plant fresh or dried has mild astringent and antiseptic properties and is used to stop bleeding of minor injuries.

Food:

• Roots or young flowering stems of all Pedicularis (Louseworts) can be eaten raw or used as a pot-herb.

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food: