Pedicularis labradorica : Labrador 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: labradorica (of Labrador, where this species was first found and described)

English Name(s):

Labrador Lousewort, Labrador Fernweed

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Plants herbaceous (not woody).
• From a weak spindly taproot.
• Stems 15-30cm tall, simple (unbranched) to freely branching, glabrous (hairless) or short-pubescent (hairy).

Leaves:

• Cauline (on stem), alternate.
• Lower leaves deeply pinnate with lobes toothed.
• Upper leaves merely toothed.

Reproductive Parts:

• Inflorescence (flower cluster) short spicate or sub-capitate (head-like), elongating in fruit, 5-10 flowered.
• Flowers perfect (bisexual), irregular in symetry.
• Bracts leaf like but progresively smaaller upwards.
• Calyx (sepals) 4-6mm long, 2 or 3 or obscurely 5 lobed.
• Corolla (petals) 13-17mm long, yellow and sometimes splotched or tinged with red, upper lip slightly arched, somewhat beaked, with a pair of long slender teeth, lower lip 3-lobed, with tiny hairs along the edges.
• 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, 10-13mm long oblong-linear and acute (pointed) in shape.
• Seeds large, relatively few per plant.

Not to Be Confused With:

• This is the only branched Pedicularis (Lousewort) in our area.

Physiology:

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

Life Cycle:

• Annual or biennial.

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:

• In muskegs and open mossy, not to dry heath and woods.

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: