[Louseworts: The Genus Pedicularis in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Bull Elephant's-head, Elephanthead Lousewort, Elephant's Head, Elephant's Head Lousewort, Elephant's Head Pedicularis

Pedicularis groenlandica

Synonym: Pedicularis groenlandica ssp. surrecta

Bull Elephant's-head, Elephanthead Lousewort, Elephant's Head, Elephant's Head Lousewort, Elephant's Head Pedicularis: Pedicularis groenlandica (Synonym: Pedicularis groenlandica ssp. surrecta)

Elephant's head blooming in wet meadows at High Prairie, Badger Creek Wilderness........July 17, 2017.

Elephant's head: Pedicularis groenlandicaCharacteristics:

Elephant's head is an interesting and beautiful perennial wildflower. It ranges in height from 15 to 70 cm tall. Multiple stems arise from the basal leaves, which are compound pinnate in structure. The blade of each leaf is roughly equal or greater in length than the petiole, with the entire leaf ranging in length from 5 to 25 cm long. The blades range from 5 to 40 mm wide. The individual leaflets or pinnae are narrow and sharply toothed. The few leaves found on the stems are much reduced in size, but similar in outline to the basal leaves, but with much shorter petioles.

The infloresence is elongate, with interesting pink flowers densely packed at the upper fourth of the stem. The five sepals are united into a narrow cup, with five unequal lobes. The pink to almost red corolla consists of unequally sized and shaped petals, with the lower lip smaller than the upper. The galea is hooded and tipped with a long, slender and upturned beak or spur, reminiscent of an elephant's trunk. Individual flowers are about 13 mm in length.

Habitat:

Pedicularis groenlandica grows in moist meadows and occasionally in small cold streams from moderate to high elevation in the mountains.


Range:

Elephant's heads are a widespread species which may be found in mountainous areas from British Columbia south through Washington and Oregon to California, and eastward through Alberta to Labrador, and south from Alberta through the Rockies to New Mexico.


Bull Elephant's-head, Elephanthead Lousewort, Elephant's Head, Elephant's Head Lousewort, Elephant's Head Pedicularis: Pedicularis groenlandica (Synonym: Pedicularis groenlandica ssp. surrecta)

Elephant's head in full bloom in wetlands at the south end of High Prairie, Badger Creek Wilderness......July 13, 2019.

Bull Elephant's-head, Elephanthead Lousewort, Elephant's Head, Elephant's Head Lousewort, Elephant's Head Pedicularis: Pedicularis groenlandica (Synonym: Pedicularis groenlandica ssp. surrecta) - Early season leaves of Bull Elephant's-head, Elephanthead Lousewort, Elephant's Head, Elephant's Head Lousewort, Elephant's Head Pedicularis: Pedicularis groenlandica (Synonym: Pedicularis groenlandica ssp. surrecta) - Bull Elephant's-head, Elephanthead Lousewort, Elephant's Head, Elephant's Head Lousewort, Elephant's Head Pedicularis: Pedicularis groenlandica (Synonym: Pedicularis groenlandica ssp. surrecta)

Elephant's head observed in moist meadows near 7000' along the Climber's Trail on the south rim of Hellroaring Valley, Yakama Nation lands at Bird Creek Meadows......August 10, 2023.

Elephant's Head: Pedicularis groenlandica - Elephant's Head: Pedicularis groenlandica - Bull Elephant's-head, Elephanthead Lousewort, Elephant's Head, Elephant's Head Lousewort, Elephant's Head Pedicularis: Pedicularis groenlandica (Synonym: Pedicularis groenlandica ssp. surrecta)

Elephant's head as seen (left and center) from the east side of Mt. Adams.....August 8, 1990. The photo at right shows elephant's head blooming along the south fork Conrad Creek in the Goat Rocks Wilderness.........July 21, 2017.


Paul Slichter