Hemi-Parasitic Plants

MARSH LOUSEWORT

Pedicularis palustris

Broomrape Family [Orobanchaceae]

month8may month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8aug month8sep month8sept

status
statusZnative
flower
flower8pink
inner
inner8white
morph
morph8zygo
petals
petalsZ2
stem
stem8round
sex
sexZbisexual

15th Oct 2007, VC11. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Mike Cotterill
Marsh Lousewort grows up to 60cm high (much higher than the up to 25cm long Lousewort which can be anywhere between procumbent to ascending).


19th July 2017, Cothill fen, VC22. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
The flowers are usually more pink than those of Lousewort whereas the leaves of both Lousewort and Marsh Lousewort are much the same.


15th Oct 2007, VC11. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Mike Cotterill
The flowers actually do have the same triplet of lower petals as does Lousewort, but in the case of Marsh Lousewort the 3 petals overlap each other and it is not as easy to see that they are in triplets.

The corolla is between 2 to 2.5cm long. The calyx has lobes which are variously dissected (whereas there are 4 lobes on Lousewort)



19th July 2017, Cothill fen, VC22. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
Deeply cut leaves are to be found all the way up the stem, but getting sparser nearer the top apart from a bunch of smaller still-growing leaves at the summit.


19th July 2017, Cothill fen, VC22. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
The lobes of the petals are more distinct here.


19th July 2017, Cothill fen, VC22. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
The flowers have a semi-upright main 'petal' - in a tubular shape with a hood containing the sexual organs. the other 3 lower flat petals may have dropped off most of if not all of these specimens. The upper lip has just one tooth at the end. The calyx tube from which the flower on the right emerges has a few hairs.


19th July 2017, Cothill fen, VC22. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
The leaves, much nearer ground level. The flowers above them have just their tubular cups left and a brown and spent sexual organ protruding from it.


Many similarities to : Lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica) which resides in the same Genus. Differences mentioned in captions.

Marsh Lousewort prefers moistier places than does Lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica) and resides in bogs and wet heaths throughout Britain and Ireland, and prefers the wetter west side of the country. It is rarer in the East or Central England.


  Pedicularis palustris  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Orobanchaceae  

Distribution
 family8Broomrape family8Orobanchaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Pedicularis
Pedicularis
(Louseworts)

MARSH LOUSEWORT

Pedicularis palustris

Broomrape Family [Orobanchaceae]