Pedicularis
Etymology
Etymology Description:
Pedicularis is from the latin "pedis", meaning louse. (svalbardflora.net 2013).
Genus General Discussion:
Globally diverse, this genus is common in Arctic-Alpine North America (Robart 2013). These hemiparasites are often found in association with Salix - a preferred host plant from which they draw nutrients through an underground haustorium (Aiken et al. 2007). In Arctic Canada these plants are often bee or flower pollinated (Macior 1975), but are autogamous beyond the range of these insect pollinators (Savile 1964). A synonymous genus, Pediculariopsis Á. Löve & D. Löve, has been described to account for species with a base chromosome number of 6 (rather than 8), but by and large has been ignored due to a lack of morphological distinction between the putative genera (Elven et al. 2011). Evidence of introgression between at least two members of the genus, P. hirsuta and P. langsdorffii subsp. arctica, has recently been found, raising the possibility that gene flow and hybridization may occur within this genus in the Arctic.
Common Name(s)
Common names (English):
lousewort
Common names (French):
pédiculaire
Common names (Northern languages):
Ugjungait (Inuktitut)
Genus Selected References:
Aiken, S.G., Dallwitz, M.J., Consaul, L.L., McJannet, C.L., Gillespie, L., J., Boles, R.L., Argus, G.W., Gillett, M.J., Scott, P.J., Elven, R., LeBlanc, M.C., A.K., B., and H., S. 2007. Flora of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification, and Information Retrieval [CD-ROM]. Edited by S.G. Aiken. NRC Research Press. National Research Council of Canada. Porsild, A.E. 1957. Illustrated flora of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Natl. Mus. Can. Bull. 146, 209. Porsild, A.E., and Cody, W.J. 1980. Vascular Plants of the Continental Northwest Territories. National Museum of Natural Sciences, National Museums of Canada, Ottawa, ON. Macior, L.W. 1975. The pollination ecology of Pedicularis (Scrophulariaceae) in the Yukon Territory [Bumblebees]. American Journal of Botany. 62: 1065-1072. Savile, D.B.O. 1964. General Ecology and Vascular Plants of the Hazen Camp Area. Arctic 17(4): 237-258. Welsh, S.L. 1974. Anderson's flora of Alaska and adjacent parts of Canada. Provo: Brigham Young University Press xvi, 724p. Illustrations, portrait, map. Robart, B.W. 2013. Pedicularis. In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico. 16+ vols. New York and Oxford.
Species Diversity in the Genus
Number of species in North America:
37
Number of species in North America comments:
Number from advance copy of Robart, B.W. 2013. Pedicularis. In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico. 16+ vols. New York and Oxford.
Number of species in Flora region :
15
Number of species in the Panarctic Flora Checklist:
30
Number of species worldwide:
400-600
Number of species worldwide comments:
Number from advance copy of Robart, B.W. 2013. Pedicularis. In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico. 16+ vols. New York and Oxford.