Pedicularis verticillata : Whorled 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: verticillata (Lat. vertere = to turn; referring to the whorls or circles of flowers along the main stem)

English Name(s):

Whorled Lousewort, Whorled Fernweed, Bumblebee Flower

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Plants herbaceous (not woody).
• From a weak branching taproot.
• Stems few to 25 or more, 8-30cm tall, simple (unbranched), erect-ascending.

Leaves:

• Mainly basal and petiolate (stalked).
• Deeply pinnately lobed.
• Lobes toothed to deeply cut.
• Cauline (stem leaves) in 1-2 whorles (circles), of 2-4 leaves, short petioled or sessile (stalkless).

Reproductive Parts:

• Inflorescence (flower cluster) capitate (head-like), but soon elongating, many-flowered.
• Flowers perfect (bisexual), irregular in symetry.
• Bracts like stem leaves but smaller.
• Calyx (sepals) 3-7mm long, with 5 triangular teeth, more or less pubescent (hairy), ciliate (margin hairs), purple-viened.
• Corolla (petals) 11-16mm long, purplish to rose pink, tube sharply bent, upper lip sloghtly arched about as long or shorter than lower lip, neither beaked nor toothed, lower lip 3-lobed.
• 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, 10-15mm long, lanceolate and pointed in shape, often bent to one side.
• Seeds large, relatively few per plant.

Not to Be Confused With:

• Pedicularis sudetica (Sudenten Lousewort) which has 2 coloured flowers purple upper lip and pink lower lip and few to no stem leaves.
• Pedicularis langdorfii (Langdorf's Lousewort) whose flowers are more pink and the cauline (stem) leaves are alternate as opposed to whorled.
• Pedicularis lanata (Woolly Lousewort) whose flowers are more pink and the cauline (stem) leaves are alternate as opposed to whorled and is generally quite woolly.

Physiology:

• These plants are partial parasites with no outward sing of differing from normal, self-supporting plants.

Life Cycle:

• Short lived Perennial
.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Leaves deciduous (falling off).
• Blooming in mid-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.

Habitat:

• Damp meadows, tundra turf, rocky slopes, heath, and woodlands.

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: