Pedicularis lapponica, the Lapland lousewort, is a perennial hemiparasitic species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae with yellow to creme coloured flowers.[1]

Pedicularis lapponica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Orobanchaceae
Genus: Pedicularis
Species:
P. lapponica
Binomial name
Pedicularis lapponica
L., 1753
Synonyms
  • Pedicularis euphrasioides Cham.
  • Pedicularis obliqua Adams

Description edit

The plant has an unbranched (or very rarely branched) stem of 10–25 cm tall which grows from a creeping rootstock with long slender rhizomes.[2] No rosette is present. Stem leaves are narrow, elongated, and compound with toothed sections, the lower on long petioles. The inflorescence is capitate. The corolla is up to 2 centimeters long and is usually milk white.[3] It is surrounded by toothed sepals. The fruit is a flat, beaked capsule 8–13 millimetres (0.31–0.51 in) long.

Compared to P. lanata, P. lapponica has a breeding system with a lower capacity for outcrossing in West Greenland (Disko) and less morphological variation.

It is perennial (in some cases biennial).

Distribution edit

Pedicularis lapponica is widely distributed on the northern hemisphere in the arctic and boreal zone.[4]

In Greenland it is found in West Greenland between 62°N and 72°30’N and in East Greenland between 69°N and Bessel Fjord, 75°58'N.[5]

Habitat and ecology edit

Pedicularis lapponica is hemiparasitic on a number of host species.[6] It is found in arctic to alpine tundras, heathlands, moist hummocky tundras, and dwarf shrub heath.

References edit

  1. ^ Böcher, Tyge Wittrock (1978). Grønlands flora. P. Haase & Sons. ISBN 87-559-0385-1. OCLC 183098604.
  2. ^ "Lapland Lousewort, Pedicularis lapponica - Flowers - NatureGate". luontoportti.com. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  3. ^ Rune, Flemming (2011). Wild flowers of Greenland = Grønlands vilde planter. Gyldenlund. OCLC 794007591.
  4. ^ "Pedicularis lapponica L." www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  5. ^ Bay, Christian (2020-04-10). "Four decades of new vascular plant records for Greenland". PhytoKeys (145): 63–92. doi:10.3897/phytokeys.145.39704. ISSN 1314-2003. PMC 7165197. PMID 32327927.
  6. ^ Nilsson, Carin H.; Svensson, Brita M. (January 1997). "Host affiliation in two subarctic hemiparasitic plants:Bartsia alpinaandPedicularis lapponica". Écoscience. 4 (1): 80–85. doi:10.1080/11956860.1997.11682380. ISSN 1195-6860.