Parry's lousewort
| Parry's lousewort |
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| Scientific Classification |
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| Binomial Name |
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Pedicularis parryi |
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| A single young Parry's lousewort |
Parry louseworts part of the figwort family, the fruit appears green-yellow in color, growing 3ft and usually seen in wetlands in the mid-west United States. Blooming annually, but maintain life at regular conditions usually that exceed 3 years. It survives predominantly by the ability to live in wetlands but often when presented with another species cannot stand up with the amount of water, minerals, and other resources. Parry's lousewort is a high tolerance plant but a low competitor with other species when it comes to growing space and battle for resources. It's living conditions while not coastal are like Bermudagrass.
Body Design
From the ground up the plant grows in roughly a 10-1 (height-width) ratio. Comparatively to firmer plants they are slender in nature, with a green stem and leaves topped by the fruit(flower), fully bloomed they appear greenish-yellow. The leaves under the fruit grow out in a overlapping formation appearing in a pinwheel style. The flowers overlap similar in style to pansies and roses.
Life Cycle
The Parry lousewort is a perennial plant (Can last for multiple years continuously)and grows predominantly in swamps, praries, wetlands while most suitably not being exposed to the sun for a full days light. Considered a fruit the Parry lousewort, seeds are at the top capsule of the stem (otherwise known as the flower) and bloom generally early August through late September. The seeds travel via wind and animals and the first sprouts of stems can be seen as early as June. The Parry lousewort may grow to anywhere between 1-3 feet (30.48cm-91.44cm). While the lousewort family varies in fruit (flower) colors, Parry's lousewort starts out as green-orange cream color and when in full bloom shows a yellow green flower. Below the fruit (flower) protrudes off the stem, there are rigid leaves extended outward for photosynthesis. New leaves are often rigid and prickly in nature but over time they smooth out, this possibly a result of the plant self gaging its need for light combined with natural abrasive elements to the leaves. The leaves grow out to be 3-4in long (7.62-10cm) and a 1 inch in width (2.54 cm). The fruit curls out upon itself, giving the appearance of peeling, when enclosed, the flower is 3/4 inch long (1.5 cm) and being in a pipe shape 1/4 in in diameter (.8cm).
Ecology
Naturally grown, Parry's lousewort has been confirmed by the USDA in the following States, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona,and Colorado. Lousewort plants are not usually considered weeds due to their lack of rigorous fight for resources, instead they tend to grow in areas in mass where many plants find the area less inhabitable. To clarify group growth is a characteristic that the plant needs to surivive, but a common attribute of where it grows. Parry louseworts have been reported to have been seen growing in Minnesota, Nevada and Montanna. Parry louseworts have not been known to take over and dominate areas of different plants, thereby most people do not mentally classify them as a weed. In greenhouses they are grown around the country. To specify, though called fruits, Parry louseworts are not particular edible such as market produce fruits. In short Parry's Lousewort is not considered an invasive species, has the ability to grow in areas often to wet for most plants, and grows in groups.
Origin
The species was names by Paracelsus A. Gray, a botanist. He has named multiple species in the Figwort (Scrophulariaceae) family. When looking at history, the common name "lousewort" appears around the 1850s. Occasionally they are called "Cow-wheats" likely due to their minor resemblance to barley, the exception being the seeds appear to be bulging capsules as opposed to intertwined seed stocks.
References
- Chayka, K. [2]. Minnisota wild flowers. Web. 2012 access .
- Word bank. [3]. Lexic us. Web. accessed on 5/22/12.
- [4]. USDA. Web. accessed on 5/22/12.
- Harte, Marry Ellen. [5]. Parry's lousewort, Pedicularis parri. Web.
