E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Pedicularis contorta Benth.
curve-beaked lousewort (coil-beaked lousewort; coiled lousewort)
Orobanchaceae (Broom-rape family)
(Previously in Scrophulariaceae)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© Jim Riley  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #841)

E-Flora BC Static Map
Distribution of Pedicularis contorta
Click here to view our interactive map and legend
Details about map content are available here
Click on the map dots to view record details.

SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC
Pedicularis contorta var. contorta

Species Information

Click on the image below to view an expanded illustration for this species.



General:
Perennial herb from a thick stem-base, smooth throughout; stems several, clustered, erect, 15-60 cm tall, unbranched.
Leaves:
Basal leaves long-stalked, lance-oblong in outline, 5-18 cm long, deeply pinnately cleft, the segments linear and toothed; stem leaves alternate, several, reduced and becoming unstalked upward.
Flowers:
Inflorescence an elongate, bracted, terminal spike of numerous flowers, the spike smooth, 5-15 (20) cm long, the bracts narrow, divided, shorter than the flowers; corollas yellowish-white or white, often with pink or purplish markings, 15-20 mm long including the beak, 2-lipped, the upper lip short (4-5 mm), strongly arched, hooded, prolonged into a downcurved beak 6-8 mm long, the lower lip 5-7 mm long, 3-lobed, the lateral lobes often enfolding the beak of the upper lip; calyces 4-5 mm long, 5-toothed, the teeth lanceolate, 1-3 mm long, the upper tooth shortest, the tube somewhat papery between the 5 dark veins; stamens 4.
Fruits:
Capsules, straight, 9-10 mm long; seeds several, about 2 mm long.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat / Range

Dry rocky slopes, meadows and open forests in the montane to alpine zones; infrequent in SE BC; E to SW AB and S to WY and CA.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Pedicularis contorta

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Minimum

Average

Maximum

Elevation (metres) 1165 2087 2450
Slope Gradient (%) 0 44 95
Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]
45 193 315
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
0 3 8
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
D
Number of field plots
 species was recorded in:
47
Modal BEC Zone Class
ESSF
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in: AT(4), ESSF(26), IMA(3), MS(5)

Climate

The climate type for this species, as reported in the: "British Columbia plant species codes and selected attributes. Version 6 Database" (Meidinger et al. 2008), is not evaluated, unknown or variable.

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References