Pedicularis canadensis, commonly called Canadian lousewort[1] or wood betony,[2] is a flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae.[3] It is native to North America, where it is found in southeastern Canada, the eastern United States, and eastern Mexico.[4][5] It has a wide-ranging natural habitat, being found in mesic to dry, forests, woodlands, and prairies.[6][7]
Pedicularis canadensis is a perennial, clonal, herbaceous plant, growing to 30 cm (12 in) tall.[7] It has long, soft, hairy leaves (many are basal, growing tufted from roots), some 12 to 36 cm (4.7 to 14.2 in) long, deeply incised and toothed, often reddish-purple under sunlight. It blooms in the spring to summer, between April and June.[8][9] It produces a broad whorl of tubular, hooded flowers on top of a segmented stalk. The flowers range in color from a greenish-yellow to purplish-red, clustered on short, dense spikes. They are pollinated by bumblebees. The fruit is a long brown seed capsule, which disperses through explosive dehiscence.[2]
The genus name Pedicularis is from Latin meaning "of or relating to lice", from the belief that cows caught lice when grazing in pastures with the European Pedicularis palustris.[10] The specific epithet canadensis refers to Canada. It was formerly included in the family Scrophulariaceae but is now considered to be in Orobanchaceae.[10][11]
Two subspecies are accepted:[11]
Wood betony is broadly distributed across eastern North America, from Quebec west to Manitoba, south to Mexico, and east to Florida.[4][5] It occurs in a variety of habitats, including mesic to dry prairies, savannas, barrens, and woodlands.[6][10] In the Chicago area it is considered a conservative species, with a coefficient of conservatism of 9.[10]
Pedicularis canadensis is a hemiparasite, attaching to the roots of diverse species, but also producing chlorophyll on its own.[13][14] Its roots also have a symbiotic relationship with a fungus that helps it gather nutrients.[15] It has been used in prairie restoration projects to reduce the dominance of aggressive tallgrasses.[16]
A leaf beetle, Capraita circumdata has been collected from inside of the flowers.[10] Several ants have been recorded visiting the flowers, including: Crematogaster cerasi, Formica incerta, Formica subsericea, and Lasius alienus.[10] Bees documented visiting the flowers of wood betony include Augochlorella aurata, Bombus auricomus, Bombus bimaculatus, Bombus fervidus, Bombus griseocollis, Bombus impatiens, Bombus vagans, Halictus confusus, and Lasioglossum anomalum.[10]
This plant was eaten by the Iroquois as a vegetable, often as a soup. It was added to oats and used as horse feed by Native Americans.
American Indians used a root infusion as a remedy for stomachaches, diarrhea, anemia and heart trouble and made a poultice for swellings, tumors and sore muscles.[17]
The Menomini called the root "enticer root" and carried it as a charm when determined on seducing the opposite sex. The root was also used to heal broken marriages by placing it in food the couple would both eat, hoping its magic would rekindle romance.
{{cite book}}: |first1= has generic name (help) Pedicularis canadensis, commonly called Canadian lousewort or wood betony, is a flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae. It is native to North America, where it is found in southeastern Canada, the eastern United States, and eastern Mexico. It has a wide-ranging natural habitat, being found in mesic to dry, forests, woodlands, and prairies.
Pedicularis canadensis es una especie de planta herbácea de la familia Orobanchaceae, anteriormente clasificada en las escrofulariáceas.[1]
Se encuentra en los matorrales y zonas boscosas secas, abiertas a través de Canadá y Estados Unidos.
Es una planta baja, peluda con una gran espiral de flores tubulares encapuchadas en la parte superior de un tallo segmentado. Tiene hojas largas y suaves, peludas (muchas son basales, creciendo copetudas de las raíces), profundamente incisas y dentadas, a menudo rojizas. Es una de las favoritas de las abejas, las flores florecen de abril a junio. Las flores varían en color desde un amarillo verdoso al rojo púrpura, agrupadas en espigas cortas, densas. El fruto es una cápsula con una semilla larga y castaña. Es un parásito, que se incumba en las raíces de diversas especies.[2]
Es comido por los iroqueses como un vegetal, similar a la espinaca, también fue utilizada por los primeros colonos canadienses en la sopa. Se añade a la avena y se utiliza como alimentación del caballo por los nativos americanos.
Los menomini le llaman la raíz "enticer root" y lo llevan como amuleto cuando se determina seducir al sexo opuesto. La raíz también se utilizó para sanar matrimonios rotos, colocándolo en la comida de la pareja, esperando que su magia reavive el romance.
Pedicularis canadensis fue descrita por Carlos Linneo y publicado en Mantissa Plantarum 1: 86. 1767.[3][4]
Pedicularis: nombre genérico que deriva de la palabra latína pediculus que significa "piojo", en referencia a la antigua creencia inglesa de que cuando el ganado pastaba en estas plantas, quedaban infestados con piojos.[5]
canadensis: epíteto geográfico que alude a su localización en Canadá.
Pedicularis canadensis es una especie de planta herbácea de la familia Orobanchaceae, anteriormente clasificada en las escrofulariáceas.
Pedicularis canadensis là loài thực vật có hoa thuộc họ Cỏ chổi. Loài này được L. mô tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1767.[1]
Pedicularis canadensis là loài thực vật có hoa thuộc họ Cỏ chổi. Loài này được L. mô tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1767.
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