Key to Pedicularis

View taxon page for Pedicularis

(For a list of species in Pedicularis, use the above link.)

Jepson Manual glossary definitions can be seen by moving your cursor over words underlined with dots.

1. Leaf 

simple 

Composed of a single part; undivided; unbranched.

, ± toothed; calyx 

lobes 

1. A major expansion or bulge, such as on the margin of a leaf, sepal, or petal, or on the surface of an ovary. 2. The free tips of otherwise fused structures, such as sepals or petals; larger than teeth.

generally 2 (4 in some plants); fruit ± 

lanceolate 

Narrowly elongate, widest in the basal half, often tapered to an acute tip.

in outline

2. Upper corolla lip hooded, not beaked; 

leaf 

Organ arising from a stem, generally composed of a stalk (petiole) and a flat, expanded, green, photosynthetic area (blade); distinguished from a leaflet by the presence in its axil of a bud, branch, thorn, or flower; sometimes with lateral, basal appendages (stipules); either simple (toothed, lobed, or dissected but not divided into leaflets) or compound (divided into leaflets).

± doubly 

crenate 

Pertaining to margins with shallow, rounded teeth, between which are usually acute sinuses (i.e., scalloped)

; stem generally simple; SNE (Convict Creek, Mono Co.) ..... P. crenulata

2' Upper corolla lip extended in a long, down-curved beak; leaf 

serrate 

Having margins with sharp, fine to coarse teeth generally pointing tipward, not outward; margins with such teeth on such primary teeth are doubly serrate.

to 

dentate 

Having margins with sharp, relatively coarse teeth pointing outward, not tipward.

; stem generally branched distally; KR, CaR, n SNH, SNE ..... P. racemosa

1' Leaf (at least some) deeply lobed to compound; calyx lobes 5; fruit ovoid

3. Proximal cauline leaf segments generally 3–5(11), 

ovate 

Egg-shaped (i.e., widest below the middle) in two dimensions (i.e., in one plane), as a leaf.

, 

entire 

Having margins that are continuous and smooth (i.e., without teeth, lobes, etc.).

to toothed, terminal >> lateral; 

basal 

At or near the base of a plant or plant part. Especially said of leaves clustered near the ground or of a placenta confined to the base of an ovary.

 leaves 0 at flower; n KR ..... P. howellii

3' Proximal cauline leaf segments > 5, serrate to divided, terminal segment not largest; basal leaves generally present at flower (except Pedicularis bracteosa); NW, CaR, SN, CW, SW, MP, W&I

4. Corolla not club-like, upper lip with a long, narrow beak

5. Corolla white to ± yellow, upper lip 4–5.5 mm, beak curved downward, not like an elephant's trunk; KR ..... P. contorta

5' Corolla pink to purple, upper lip 3.5–18 mm, beak curved upward, ± like an elephant's trunk; KR, CaR, SNH, MP, W&I

6. Inflorescence densely hairy; beak 3–5 mm; lower lip ± fan-like ..... P. attollens

6' Inflorescence ± glabrous; beak 6–13 mm; lateral lobes of lower lip resembling ears ..... P. groenlandica

4' Corolla ± club-like, upper lip hooded, not beaked

7. Upper corolla lip straight

8. Corolla 13–23 mm, white to pink (sometimes aging rose-purple); c CCo ..... P. rigginsiae

8' Corolla 23–43 mm, red or maroon to orange-yellow (white); NW, CaR, SN, CW, SW, MP

9. Calyx 12–24 mm; lower corolla lip < 8 mm; hood-like upper corolla lip open > 4/5 its length; corolla tube 

included 

Not protruding out of surrounding structure(s) (e.g., stamens included in corolla).

in calyx at flowering; CaR, SN ..... P. aurantiaca

9' Calyx 10–18 mm; lower corolla lip >= 8 mm; hood-like upper corolla lip open < 4/5 its length; corolla tube 

exserted 

Protruding out of surrounding structure(s) (e.g., stamens exserted from corolla).

beyond calyx lobes at flowering; NW, n SNF, CW, SW ..... P. densiflora

7' Upper corolla lip down-curved distally

10. Stem 30–110 cm; inflorescence > leaves; basal leaves generally 0 at flower; corolla ± yellow; KR ..... P. bracteosa var. flavida

10' Stem <= 30 cm; inflorescence generally <= leaves; basal leaves present at flower; corolla ± yellow or white to pink or ± purple

11. Corolla ± yellow, generally tinged red or tipped purple, hairy; filaments hairy; NCoRH, CaRH, SN, TR, PR ..... P. semibarbata

11' Corolla white to pink or ± purple, glabrous; filaments glabrous

12. Corolla 30–42 mm, pale purple, darker-tipped, lower lip > 1/2 upper, its lobes rounded, wavy-margined; leaf margin wavy, white, thickened; MP ..... P. centranthera

12' Corolla 17–24 mm, initially white, becoming pink or lavender, lower lip < upper, its lobes pointed, not wavy-margined; leaf margin not wavy, white, or thickened; n CCo, SnFrB (Santa Cruz Mtns), nw SCoRO ..... P. dudleyi

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