Southwest Colorado Wildflowers, Pedicularis groenlandica

The genus name, "Pedicularis", given by Linnaeus in 1853, is derived from the Latin "pediculus", "louse". A bygone belief had it that the plant gave lice to people and cattle. Or, according to some sources, the plant was thought to cure people or cattle of lice! "Wort" is from the Old English, "wyrt", meaning "plant" (Figwort, Spiderwort, Spleenwort). Many members of the Pedicularis genus are also commonly called "Wood Betony".

Pedicularis groenlandica (Elephant Heads)
Scrophulariaceae (Snapdragon Family)

Subalpine. Wetlands, streamsides. Summer.
Upper Calico Trail, June 12, 2004.

No one forgets pink elephants. They are common along streams and boggy mountain meadows, sometimes numbering in the thousands. Red fern-like leaves appear first and dark stems follow. The greens of chlorophyll eventually masks the reds. Dried seed heads continue to show the elephant’s trunk.

Although P. groenlandica is not found in Greenland, it is found throughout the West and across all of Canada.

Anders Retzius (1742-1821) named this plant in 1795.

Pedicularis groenlandica (Elephant Heads)
Scrophulariaceae (Snapdragon Family)

Subalpine. Wetlands, streamsides. Summer.
Upper Calico Trail, June 12, 2004.

This meadow of Pedicularis groenlandica was quite boggy and I came out wet, muddy, and with one huge welt from a fly bite. Perhaps the fly on my lens that you can see at the top center of the picture is the very fly that bit me.

Albino Pedicularis groenlandica are unusual and unforgettable.