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Species Image Gallery (opens in a new window) |
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| THE FIGWORT FAMILY | ||
| The figwort family is very common in Saskatchewan. The leaves are usually opposite, though they may be alternate, whorled, or all basal. The leaf margin may be entire to pinnately or palmately lobed. The flowers are irregular and are commonly 2-lipped. The upper lip usually has two lobes and the lower lip three lobes. Each flower has two or four stamens. If four stamens are present, they are in two groups of two and are usually attached to the petals. The sepals and the petals are commonly fused together. In some species, large, brightly-coloured bracts hide the flowers. The fruit is a many-seeded capsule. | ||
| LABRADOR LOUSEWORT | ||
| LATIN NAME: Pedicularis labradorica | ||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | ||
| Labrador lousewort grows as tall as 30 cm from a weak, spindly taproot. The leaves are opposite, with the lower leaves deeply lobed. The upper leaves are toothed but not lobed. The flowers are in clusters or solitary in the upper leaf axils. The petals are yellow and the upper lip may be splotched with red or purple. The fruit is a capsule. | ||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | ||
| Labrador lousewort grows in open black spruce woods, treed bogs, regenerating burns, and lichen-tundra. | ||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | ||
| This plant is found in northern Saskatchewan in the Churchill River Upland, Tazin Lake Upland, and Selwyn Lake Upland ecoregions. | ||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | ||
| 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. | ||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY LABRADOR LOUSEWORT | ||
| * Are the lower leaves lobed and the upper leaves
toothed? * Are the petals yellow and splotched with red or purple? * Are the flowers in short spikes or in the leaf axils? * Did you find it in northern Saskatchewan? |
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| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found Labrador lousewort! | ||
