Jepson eFlora: Key page
Vascular Plants of California
Key to families | Table of families and genera

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 
image missingComposed of a single part; undivided; unbranched.
, ± toothed; calyx 
lobes 
image missing1. 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 
image missingNarrowly elongate, widest in the basal half, often tapered to an acute tip.
in outline

2. Upper corolla lip hooded, not beaked; 
leaf 
image missingOrgan 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 
image missingPertaining 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 
image missingHaving 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 
image missingHaving 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 
image missingEgg-shaped (i.e., widest below the middle) in two dimensions (i.e., in one plane), as a leaf.
, 
entire 
image missingHaving margins that are continuous and smooth (i.e., without teeth, lobes, etc.).
to toothed, terminal >> lateral; 
basal 
image missingAt 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 
image missingNot 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 
image missingProtruding 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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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) . Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ [accessed on ]

Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on .

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