Pedicularis contorta

Curved-beak lousewort, Curved-Beak Lousewort

Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.3

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.

Habitat: Bogs, meadows, streamsides, moist, open montane conifer forest

Bloom period: Jul-Aug

Elevation: 1600-2400 m

Bioregions: KR

California counties: Siskiyou, Trinity

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.