Pedicularis albida Penn. Orobanchaceae

Abstract

Pedicularis albida : Herbs perennial, 5–30 cm tall, drying slightly black. Roots fusiform. Stems single and erect or more than 10, unbranched, with 4 lines of hairs. Basal leaf petiole to 3–4 cm. Stem leaves in whorls of 4; petiole 0.5–2 cm; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, 0.7–4 cm × 2.5–8 mm, pinnatisect; segments 8–12 pairs, ovate-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, pinnatifid, double dentate or incised-dentate. Inflorescences subcapitate or spicate and elongated to 10 cm, sometimes interrupted basally; bracts leaflike, about as long as flowers basally. Pedicel more or less sessile. Calyx 8–9 mm, about 1/3 cleft anteriorly, densely pilose along veins; lobes 5, unequal, posterior one triangular, entire, lateral lobes larger, serrate. Corolla purple-red to white, sometimes yellow; tube almost erect when young, becoming bent at a right angle basally, to 1.1–1.4 cm; galea falcate, about 1 cm, apex with a short conical beak or beakless; lower lip 8–10 mm × 1–1.2 cm, lobes rounded. Filaments sparsely pubescent basally, glabrous apically. Capsule lanceolate-triangular, about 1.6 cm × 5.5 mm, about 1/2 exceeding calyx. Seeds about 2 mm. Flowering June–August, fruiting July–September (Wu et al. 1994–2013) (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5).