Wildflower of the valley
Spotted Lousewort
Pedicularis punctata
- How easy to find
- Easy to see — you will see it easily on the trail
- Flower size
- Medium
- Family
- Scrophulariaceae (Figwort family)
- Height
- medium
- Flower colour
- red,blue
- Flowering
- August to October
About Spotted Lousewort
0 . Lower leaves are opposite upper ones are whorled. Flowers are red with white spot at the throat. Corolla tube is long, upper lip with curved purplish beak and lower lip is lobed with a smaller mid lobe. Punctata the specific name refers to gland dotted nature.
Where to find it
- Near the entrance of the valley
- In the middle of the valley
- In the deeper parts of the valley
- Around Hemkund Sahib
Habitat
Mountain slopes in moist places and alpine meadows, near rivulets.
Uses & folklore
Locals use roots to treat flatulence in cattle.
What the name means
Pedicularis is Latin pediculus (louse) — folk belief held that livestock grazing on it caught lice; punctata means "spotted".
Don't confuse it with
Pedicularis hoffmeisteri (sno 67) has more colourful pink hooded flowers; P. porrecta (sno 90) has a more elongated inflorescence.
More photos
Pedicularis punctata is a rare and stunning species that graces the Valley of Flowers with soft pink to purple hues and intricate hooded…
