Pedicularis semibarbata
Bearded lousewort
(c) Casey H. Richart, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Pedicularis semibarbata (Bearded lousewort) is a native California herb in the Orobanchaceae family, recognized by underground stems, hairy flowers, yellow color.
Bearded lousewort is a California native perennial found in northern Coast Ranges, high Cascades, Sierra Nevada, Transverse Ranges, and Peninsular Ranges in dry ridgetops and conifer forest, often with red fir, at elevations of 1,500 to 3,500 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces yellow flowers with red or purple tints, approximately 15 to 24 millimeters long, with a hooded upper lip and rounded lower lip. Growing with mostly underground stems 3 to 20 centimeters tall and a long caudex, it has a delicate, sparse tomentose appearance. Its basal leaves are 5 to 22 centimeters long, with 11 to 25 lanceolate to ovate segments that are toothed or lobed. The fruit is 6.5 to 10 millimeters long, with smooth seeds 3.5 to 4.5 millimeters in size.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; underground stems, hairy flowers, yellow color
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry ridgetops, conifer forest, often with red fir
Elevation: 1500-3500 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Tulare, Tuolumne, Placer, Inyo, Amador, Fresno, Butte, El Dorado, Madera, Mariposa, Kern, Siskiyou, Shasta, Lassen, Plumas, Nevada, Sierra, Alpine, Glenn, Mono, Riverside, Ventura, San Diego, Modoc, Tehama, Mendocino, Santa Barbara, Trinity, Lake, Colusa, Humboldt, Calaveras
Outside California: Nevada
Bloom period
Pedicularis semibarbata blooms May-Jul.
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 semibarbata native to California?
Yes. Pedicularis semibarbata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Pedicularis semibarbata bloom?
Pedicularis semibarbata blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Pedicularis semibarbata grow?
Pedicularis semibarbata occurs in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Tulare, Tuolumne, Placer, Inyo, Amador, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of 1500-3500 m.
What plant family does Pedicularis semibarbata belong to?
Pedicularis semibarbata is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Pedicularis.
What habitat does Pedicularis semibarbata grow in?
Pedicularis semibarbata grows in dry ridgetops, conifer forest, often with red fir.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Pedicularis sp. — Lousewort
- Pedicularis attollens — Little elephant's head
- Pedicularis bracteosa var. flavida — Yellowish lousewort
- Pedicularis centranthera — Great basin lousewort
- Pedicularis contorta — Curved-beak lousewort
- Pedicularis crenulata — Scalloped-leaved lousewort
- Phelipanche ramosa
- Phelipanche sp. — Broomrape
- Triphysaria eriantha — Butter-and-eggs
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
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.