Pedicularis lanata : Woolly 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: lanata (Lat. for woolly; referring to the dense woolly hairs on this species)

Synonym(s): P. kanei

English Name(s):

Woolly Lousewort, Woolly Fernweed

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Plants herbaceous (not woody).
• From a bright lemon-yellow taproot.
• Stems simple (unbranched), 5-25cm high, densely white-woolly.

Leaves:

• Basal and cauline (onstem).
• Lower leaves long petiolate (stalked).
• Bladed narrow, deeply pinnately lobed to pinnately compound.
• Lobes toothed to pinnately lobed.

Reproductive Parts:

• Inflorescence (flower cluster) namy flowered, dense but soon elongating, copiously woolly.
• Flowers perfect (bisexual), irregular in symetry.
• Bracts simmilar to leaves, white-woolly.
• Calyx (sepals) 5-toothed, 4-5mm long.
• Corolla (petals) 15-20mm long, deep pink or rarely white, upper lip slightly arched, lacking teeth.
• 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, 8-13 mm long, ovate in shape with a pointed beak.
• Seeds large, relatively few per plant, with a loosely fitting, ashy-grey, honeycombed seed-coat.

Not to Be Confused With:

• Pedicularis langdorfii (Langdorf's Lousewort) is quite simmilar but is lacking the white-woollyness of these plants.
• Pedicularis vericillata (Whorled Lousewort) which has its stem leaves in whorles and lacks the woollyness of P.lanata (Woolly Lousewort).
• Pedicularis sudetica (Sudenten Lousewort) which has 2 coloured flowers purple upper lip and pink lower lip and few to no stem leaves.

Physiology:

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

Life Cycle:

• Perennial

Seasonal Cycle:

• Leaves deciduous (falling off).
• Plants blooming early July.
• Gone to seed by mid-late July.

Animal Uses:

• The plant tops are sometimes browsed by cariboo.
• Generally 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:

• Wet to dry stony tundra and heathlands

Modern:

Industrial:

• Roots yield a yellow dye.
• 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 taste like young carrots. They are good boiled or roasted or can be eaten raw.
• 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:

• Roots were used as a tobacco additive by different folks

Medicinal:

Food:

• Flowers are enjoyed by inuit children who suck the nectar from the base of the long tubes.
• Leaves are used for making tea in parts of Russia