Marsh Lousewort

Pedicularis palustris

Marsh Lousewort is a beautiful plant that grows in wet places like marshes. It has pretty pink and purple flowers that look like little bells, making it a lovely sight in nature.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Marsh Lousewort has vibrant purple-pink flowers clustered on tall stalks, each flower uniquely hooded. Its delicate, fern-like leaves form a feathery rosette at the base, making it stand out in damp, green landscapes.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderLamialesFamilyOrobanchaceaeGenusPedicularis

Marsh Lousewort

Interesting facts

Its hooded flowers look like tiny elephant heads or bird beaks up close!

Its name "Lousewort" comes from an old belief that eating it caused lice in livestock!

Marsh Lousewort is a hemi-parasite, meaning it makes its own food but also steals from neighbors.

This plant is a great indicator of healthy, undrained wetland ecosystems!

Special abilities

Marsh Lousewort can steal water and nutrients from the roots of nearby plants, making it a clever semi-parasite to survive in poor soils.

Marsh Lousewort has special roots that allow it to thrive in waterlogged, acidic bog and fen habitats where many other plants cannot grow.

Marsh Lousewort has uniquely shaped, hooded flowers that guide specific insects, like bumblebees, directly to its pollen and nectar.

Measurements & details

Height: 10-60 cm
Flower Size: 1-2.5 cm
Bloom Season: Late spring to late summer
Edible: No
Toxicity: Mild
Lifecycle: Biennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

parasitizes

Red Fescue

Festuca rubra

steals nutrients from its roots

pollinates

Buff-tailed Bumblebee

Bombus terrestris

attracts with nectar and pollen

eaten by

Roe Deer

Capreolus capreolus

sometimes grazed upon in its habitat

Traits

Furry

Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.

Bell-Shaped Flower

Bell-shaped flowers possess petals fused or arranged to form a cup-like or campanulate structure resembling a bell.

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Spring Blooming

Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.