Pedicularis racemosa Douglas ex Benth.
sickletop lousewort
Orobanchaceae (Broom-rape family)
(Previously in Scrophulariaceae)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Ian Gardiner     (Photo ID #16064)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Pedicularis racemosa
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from a thick stem-base with coarse fibrous roots, smooth or nearly so throughout; stems usually several, clustered, erect, 15-50 cm tall, unbranched.
Leaves:
Basal leaves lacking or much reduced; stem leaves alternate, numerous, short-stalked to unstalked, narrowly lanceolate, 4-10 cm long, reduced downward, not divided but the margins finely toothed.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a rather loose, elongate, bracted, terminal raceme of several flowers, the lower flowers sometimes stalked in the leaf axils, the bracts (especially the lower ones) leaflike, equalling or longer than the flowers; corollas cream to pinkish-white or purplish, 10-16 mm long, 2-lipped, the upper lip 5-9 mm long, strongly arched, hooded, prolonged into a slender beak 5-7 mm long, the beak curved down and in toward the lower lip, which is 5 mm long and deflexed-spreading; calyces 5-8 mm long, 2-lobed, the lobes obliquely egg-shaped, 1-3 mm long; stamens 4.
Fruits:
Capsules, asymmetrical, 10-16 mm long; seeds several, about 2 mm long.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Pedicularis racemosa

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

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
1562 0 2400
Slope Gradient (%)
31 0 100

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

195 0 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
3 0 8
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
735
Modal BEC Zone Class
ESSF

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

AT(3), BWBS(1), CMA(1), CWH(25), ESSF(411), ICH(70), IDF(36), MH(29), MS(100), PP(1), SBPS(3), SBS(3), SWB(1)

Habitat and Range

Moist to dry coniferous forests, open rocky slopes and meadows in the montane to subalpine zones; frequent in S BC, south of 53degreeN; S to CA.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia