Species: Pedicularis labradorica Wirsing

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Pedicularis labradorica Wirsing

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Scrophulariaceae

Genus:

Pedicularis

Species Synonyms:

Pedicularis euphrasioides Steph. ex Willd.

Common Names:

Labrador lousewort

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

Yukon – Mackenzie District– Keewatin District– Ungava – Baffin Island – Labrador, south to northern and eastern British Columbia – Alberta – northern Saskatchewan – northern Ontario

Saskatchewan:

northern Saskatchewan; Lake Athabasca – Hasbala Lake – Wollaston Lake

Ecoregion:

Churchill River Upland, Tazin Lake Upland, Selwyn Lake Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

open black spruce woods, treed bogs, regenerating burns, and lichen-tundra

Associated Species:

black spruce, bog blueberry, tufted bulrush

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Labrador lousewort is threatened because it is rare or uncommon in Saskatchewan. This species is regionally restricted to northern Saskatchewan and population sizes vary. No threats are known or anticipated.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

15 – 30 cm

Roots:

taproot weak, spindly

Stems:

biennial or perennial, simple to branched, hairless or short-hairy

Leaves:

opposite, lower leaves deeply lobed, lobes toothed; upper leaves toothed

Inflorescence:

unbranched, short, to about 5 cm long, terminal, 5 – 10-flowered; flowers sessile, solitary in upper leaf axils; bracts leaf-like, reduced upwards

Flowers:

sepals 4 – 6 mm long, 2 – 3-lobed; petals 13 – 17 mm, yellow, upper lip may be splotched with red or purple, upper lip slightly arched

Fruits:

capsule 10 – 13 mm long

PEDICULARIS KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Beak of upper lip curved upward and outward resembling an elephant head; stem simple	P. groenlandica ssp. groenlandica
1 Upper lip not beaked; stem branched	2

2 Flowers in a short spike or flowers solitary in leaf axils; flowers purple	P. macrodonta
2 Flowers in few-flowered spikes; flowers yellow	P. labradorica