Pedicularis dudleyi
Dudley's lousewort
(c) joergmlpts, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Pedicularis dudleyi (Dudley's lousewort) is a native California herb in the Orobanchaceae family, recognized by white flowers turning pink, coastal habitat.
Dudley's lousewort is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in the Central Coast, Santa Cruz Mountains, and southern coastal ranges in coastal chaparral and forest at elevations up to 600 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces white flowers that transition to pink or lavender, with a distinctive club-like corolla 17 to 24 millimeters long, featuring a hooded upper lip that curves downward. Growing with soft-hairy stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it develops a delicate and intricate structure. Its basal leaves are lance-oblong, 3 to 26 centimeters long, with 15 to 25 well-separated segments that are oblong to ovate and doubly toothed or lobed. The fruit is 12 to 13 millimeters long with seeds featuring a distinctive netted surface.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; white flowers turning pink, coastal habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal chaparral and forest
Elevation: <= 600 m
California counties: San Mateo, Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo
Bloom period
Pedicularis dudleyi blooms Mar-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
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 dudleyi native to California?
Yes. Pedicularis dudleyi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Pedicularis dudleyi bloom?
Pedicularis dudleyi blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Pedicularis dudleyi grow?
Pedicularis dudleyi occurs in San Mateo, Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, at elevations of <= 600 m.
What plant family does Pedicularis dudleyi belong to?
Pedicularis dudleyi is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Pedicularis.
Is Pedicularis dudleyi rare or endangered?
Pedicularis dudleyi carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S2.
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.