W142 



FERNLEAFS 



Pedicula'ris spp. 



Flowers yellowish, irregular, numer- 

 ous, in bracted end clusters (spikes) 

 3 to 12 in. or more long; bracts egg- 

 shaped, usually a little shorter than 

 flowers 



f United petals (corolla) about 



long, strongly ' 2-lipped ; uppe 



Pedicularis bracteosa 



in. 



per lip 



lea) hooded, with tip slightly pro- 

 duced but not beaked, about twice as 

 long as the 3-lobed lower lip; lobes with 

 round-toothed margins 



Outer united flower parts (calyx) 

 about % in. long, soft-hairy, 5-lobed; 

 lobes narrowly lanced-shaped 



Leaves alternate, up to 12 in', long, 

 somewhat fernlike, divided (pinnately 

 compound) into leaflets; .basal leaves, 

 much larger than stem leaves 



Leaflets lance-shaped, with sharply 

 double-toothed margins 



Stems often tufted, stout, up to 40 

 in. high, hairless 



Roots often* with thickened root 

 crown, perennial 



Fernleafs compose a genus of 250 or more annual or perennial weeds, mostly 

 natives of the Northern Hemisphere and best represented in the Old World. 

 Although several species of Pedicularis, such as elephanthead (P. groenlan' dica) , 

 Indian-warrior (P. densiflo'ra), and sickletop (P. racemo'sa'), have fairly well- 

 standardized common names, there is a difference of opinion as to the most 

 suitable common name for the genus, although lousewort is frequently used. 



