LOUSEWORT

herbaceous plant of the genus Pedicularis (family Scrophulariaceae; see Scrophulariales), which contains about 500 species found throughout the Northern Hemisphere but especially on the mountains of Central and eastern Asia. Louseworts have bilaterally symmetrical flowers, sometimes highly irregular. For example, the little elephant (P. groenlandica) presents the aspect of head, trunk, and ears of an elephant in its pink flowers, which are 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) long. The plants are semiparasitic on the roots of other plants. For this reason they are difficult to cultivate in the home garden.