Pedicularis groenlandica
Pedicularis groenlandica is a showy flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae which is known by the common names elephant's head and elephanthead lousewort.[1] This erect plant can grow to a height of 80 centimetres (31 in). Its sharply-toothed fernlike leaves are located low on the stout stem. The stem is topped with a large inflorescence of bright pink to purple or white flowers. Each flower has a long, pointed beak which curves upward, superficially resembling the trunk of an elephant, and the lateral lobes of the flower resemble an elephant's ears. Like other louseworts and related broomrape genera, this is a root parasite which obtains nutrients from the roots of other plants by piercing them with haustoria. This plant is found in the high mountain ranges of western North America, particularly the Cascades and High Sierra, much of Canada and Greenland.[2] It grows in wet environments such as riverbanks.
- Colony along Firehole River, Yellowstone National Park
- Each flower resembles the forehead, trunk and ears of an elephant.
Pedicularis groenlandica | |
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Henry M. Jackson Wilderness | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Orobanchaceae |
Genus: | Pedicularis |
Species: | P. groenlandica |
Binomial name | |
Pedicularis groenlandica | |
References
- Klinkenberg, Brian. (Editor) (2014). "Pedicularis groenlandica". E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia [eflora.bc.ca]. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Retrieved 2015-01-11.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
- Sullivan, Steven. K. (2015). "Pedicularis groenlandica". Wildflower Search. Retrieved 2015-01-11.
External links
- Calflora Database: Pedicularis groenlandica (Elephant head lousewort)
- Jepson Manual eFlora treatment of Pedicularis groenlandica
- USDA Plants Profile for Pedicularis groenlandica (elephanthead lousewort)
- UC CalPhotos gallery of Pedicularis groenlandica
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pedicularis groenlandica. |