wood betony

(Pedicularis canadensis ssp. canadensis)

Conservation Status
wood betony
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

FACU - Facultative upland

     
  Midwest

FACU - Facultative upland

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

FACU - Facultative upland

     
           
 
Description
 
 

Wood betony is a 4 to 16 tall, erect, perennial forb that rises on 1 or more stems from short rhizomes. It forms large clumps.

The stems are erect, hollow, unbranched, green or reddish brown, and hairy with long soft hairs. The leaves are mostly basal.

Basal leaves are crowded and form a rosette. They are on stalks that are often longer than the leaf blades. They are inversely lance-shaped with the attachment at the narrow end, up to 6 long and 1 wide. They are fern-like in appearance, cut with deep, rounded lobes cut more than half way to the midrib (pinnatifid). The upper surface is deep green, hairless except with appressed hairs along the sunken midrib, with indented (impressed) lateral veins. The lower surface is lighter green, hairless, with raised (prominent) lateral veins. The margins of the lobes have fine, rounded teeth.

Stem leaves are alternate and similar to the basal leaves but smaller and on shorter leaf stalks. They are 1 to 2 long, and to ¾ wide. Lower leaves are on long leaf stalks. Leaves become smaller and leaf stalks shorter as they ascend the stem. Upper leaves are stalkless.

The inflorescence is a 1 to 2 long, cone-shaped spike at the end of the stem and sometimes also from upper leaf axils. They have a conspicuous pinwheel arrangement, with the flowers sticking out at right angles to the central axis.

The individual flowers are stalkless and subtended by a single leaf-like bract. The calyx is to ½ long with 2 spreading, rounded lobes. There are 5 yellow petals forming a to 1 long, tubular, 2-lipped corolla. The upper 2 petals are fused into convex, one-lobed, hood-like lip (galea) from which the pistil protrudes. The hood is sometimes reddish or purplish tinged. There are 2 small teeth just below the tip of the galea. The lower 3 petals are fused into a banner that is shorter than the galea and has 3 lobes, the 2 lateral lobes rounded, spreading, and longer than the middle lobe. The 4 stamens are contained within the galea.

The fruit is a dry, egg-shaped capsule, 2 5 to 3 5 long, with uneven sides. It is twice the length of the calyx. When in fruit the spike elongates to up to 8.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

4 to 16

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

Yellow

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
 

Swamp betony (Pedicularis lanceolata) is a much taller plant, reaching 12 to 36 at maturity. It does not form clumps. Stem leaves are opposite, not alternate. The lower stem leaves are on short stalks no more than long. Leaves are more shallowly lobed, the lobes cut less than half way to the midrib. The inflorescence is up to 4 long. The flowers are white or yellowish. The galea is not toothed. The lower lip is about as long as the galea. It blooms much later, August to September. It is found in wet, not dry to moist, locations.

 
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Dry to moderate moisture. Prairies, open, upland woods. Full sun.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

April to June

 
     
 

Parasitism

 
 

Wood betony is a facultative parasite. It gets water and nutrients from the roots of grasses and possibly other plants, including at least 80 different species in 35 different genera. In the absence of suitable hosts it is capable of normal development. However, in the field it is rarely if ever found not parasitizing other plants.

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 24, 28, 29, 30.

 
  6/13/2022      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Asteranae  
 

Order

Lamiales (mints, plantains, olives, and allies)  
 

Family

Orobanchaceae (broomrape)  
  Tribe Pedicularideae  
  Genus Pedicularis (louseworts)  
  Species Pedicularis canadensis (wood betony)  
       
 

The genus Pedicularis, formerly belonging the family Scrophulariaceae (figwort), has recently been transferred to the family Orobanchaceae (broomrape).

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Pedicularis canadensis var. dobbsii

Pedicularis gladiata

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

betony

Canadian lousewort

common lousewort

early lousewort

forest lousewort

lousewort

wood betony

wood-betony

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Axil

The upper angle where the leaf stalk meets the stem.

 

Bract

Modified leaf at the base of a flower stalk, flower cluster, or inflorescence.

 

Calyx

The group of outer floral leaves (sepals) below the petals, occasionally forming a tube.

 

Corolla

A collective name for all of the petals of a flower.

 

Galea

An enlarged, vaulted, strongly concave or helmet-shaped upper lip of some two-lipped corollas, as in Indian paintbrush or monkshood.

 

Linear

Long, straight, and narrow, with more or less parallel sides, like a blade of grass.

 

Node

The small swelling of the stem from which one or more leaves, branches, or buds originate.

 

Pinnatifid

Deeply cut, more than half way to the midrib but not to the midrib, into lobes that are spaced out along the midrib; the lobes do not form separate leaflets.

 
 
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Greg Watson

 
    wood betony      
 

Luciearl

 
 

You might not recognize Wood Betony in early spring, reddish purple leaves.

 
    wood betony      
           
    wood betony   wood betony  
           
    wood betony   wood betony  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Habitat

 
    wood betony      
           
 

Plant

 
    wood betony   wood betony  
           
 

Inflorescence

 
    wood betony   wood betony  
           
 

Flowers

 
    wood betony      
           
 

Leaves

 
    wood betony      
           
 

Stem

 
    wood betony      
           
 

Infructescence

 
    wood betony   wood betony  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
Pedicularis canadensis WOOD BETONY
Frank Mayfield
  Pedicularis canadensis WOOD BETONY  

 

slideshow

       
 
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Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this plant.

 
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  Greg Watson
5/27/2022

Location: Eagles Bluff Park in La Crescent, MN

wood betony  
  Luciearl
4/27/2020

Location: Fairview Twp, Cass County

You might not recognize Wood Betony in early spring, reddish purple leaves.

wood betony  
  Luciearl
7/29/2019

Location: Cass County

wood betony  
           
 
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