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Wood Betony; Canadian Lousewort - Pedicularis canadensis


Family: Orobanchaceae - Broom-rape family Genus Common Name: Lousewort Native Status: NativeDicot Perennial Subshrub Herb
Pedicularis canadensis - Wood Betony; Canadian Lousewort.
Pedicularis - Lousewort - is a large genus of around 600 hemiparasitic species worldwide, primarily in the temperate to arctic regions of the northern hemisphere, but also found in South America. Nearly half of the species are endemic to China, but there are about 40 species found in North America. There is at least one species found in each of the United States except Hawaii. Pedicularis and several other genera were moved from Scrophulariaceae into Orobanchaceae by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group in the early 21st century (APG II).

Canadian Lousewort is found throughout the eastern 2/3 of the United States and Canada, all the way down into northern Florida. It has long been considered as having medicinal properties.

Found in:
AL, AR, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV

Journal Articles Referencing Lousewort

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Pedicularis canadensis

Distribution of Pedicularis canadensis in the United States and Canada:
Map unavailable.
Map courtesy of The Biota of North America Program.
Map color key

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Site: The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain, Walker County, GA Date: 2009-April-02Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Wood Betony - Canadian Lousewort - starts blooming in mid- to late spring.
Pedicularis canadensis
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Pedicularis canadensis initially published on USWildflowers.com 2008-12-31; Updated 2019-10-30

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All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2024
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Code Update 20230302