Pedicularis groenlandica

Pedicularis groenlandica
Henry M. Jackson Wilderness
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Orobanchaceae
Genus: Pedicularis
Species: P. groenlandica
Binomial name
Pedicularis groenlandica
Retz.

Pedicularis groenlandica is a showy flowering plant in the broomrape family 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.

Pedicularis groenlandica
Each flower resembles the forehead, trunk and ears of an elephant. 

References

  1. 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.
  2. Sullivan, Steven. K. (2015). "Pedicularis groenlandica". Wildflower Search. Retrieved 2015-01-11.
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