Pedicularis contorta
Curved-beak lousewort, Curved-Beak Lousewort
(c) Jason Hollinger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Pedicularis contorta (Curved-beak lousewort) is a native California herb in the Orobanchaceae family, recognized by curved beak and white/yellow flowers diagnostic.
Curved-beak lousewort is a California native perennial ranked 4.3 by CNPS, found in the Klamath Ranges in bogs, meadows, and moist montane conifer forests at elevations of 1,600 to 2,400 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces white to pale yellow flowers with a distinctive curved downward beak, creating an unusual floral profile. Growing with stems 15 to 40 centimeters tall and nearly smooth surfaces, it forms delicate clusters of intricate blooms. Its basal leaves are lance-oblong with 25 to 41 slender segments that range from entire to slightly serrate, creating a fine, feathery appearance. The fruit is 6 to 10 millimeters long with seeds featuring a finely netted surface.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; curved beak and white/yellow flowers diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Bogs, meadows, streamsides, moist, open montane conifer forest
Elevation: 1600-2400 m
California counties: Siskiyou, Trinity
Outside California: to western Canada, Montana, Wyoming, Utah
Bloom period
Pedicularis contorta blooms Jul-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
How to tell it apart
vs Castilleja: Leaves deeply dissected and fern-like with 7+ lobes, not simple or few-lobed.; vs Phacelia: Flowers have closed hood concealing stamens, not open bell/funnel shape.; vs Anigozanthos: Upper lip forms distinctive elephant-head hood, leaves deeply divided fern-like.; vs Melaleuca: Herbaceous perennial with hooded flowers, not woody shrub with brush-like blooms.; vs Achillea: Flowers individually hooded and two-lipped, not tiny in flat-topped clusters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pedicularis contorta native to California?
Yes. Pedicularis contorta is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Pedicularis contorta bloom?
Pedicularis contorta blooms Jul-Aug.
Where in California does Pedicularis contorta grow?
Pedicularis contorta occurs in Siskiyou, Trinity, at elevations of 1600-2400 m.
What plant family does Pedicularis contorta belong to?
Pedicularis contorta is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Pedicularis.
Is Pedicularis contorta rare or endangered?
Pedicularis contorta carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.