Pedicularis howellii

Howell's lousewort

Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.3

Howell's lousewort is a native perennial herb found in the northern Klamath Ranges on dry ridges and in open red-fir forest at elevations of 1,500 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces flowers that range from nearly white to light purple, with a distinctive sickle-shaped corolla marked by darker coloration. Growing with erect stems 15 to 45 centimeters tall, it develops a long caudex and displays delicate foliage with widely lanceolate basal leaves divided into 7 to 17 ovate segments. Its leaves are finely divided, with cauline leaves bearing 3 to 5 ovate lobes, each intricately shaped and positioned along the slender stem. The flower's unique structure features a curved upper lip about 5 to 6 millimeters long with a tapered beak, nestled within hairy calyces that add to its subtle botanical charm.

Habitat: dry ridges, open red-fir forest

Bloom period: Jul-Aug

Elevation: 1500-1900 m

Bioregions: n KR

California counties: Siskiyou, Del Norte

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