Towering Lousewort

Appearance

General: Erect perennial from coarse, fibrous roots, the stems usually simple, several from the base, up to 1 m. tall; herbage glabrous below the inflorescence.
Leaves: Cauline leaves alternate, numerous, short-petiolate or sessile, pinnatifid, the principal segments distinct, linear-oblong to lanceolate, 1-7 cm. long, somewhat incised and again finely serrate; uppermost leaf segments smaller; basal leaves similar, but with longer petioles, or wanting.
Flowers: Inflorescence a dense, spike-like raceme; calyx lobes 5, the upper much the shortest, the others partly attached into 2 lateral segments; corolla 13-21 mm. long, purple or red to bronze or yellow, bilabiate, the upper lip beakless, hooded, enclosing the 4 stamens, about as long as the tube; the lower lip much shorter, 3-lobed; stigma capitate.
Fruits: Capsule glabrous, flattened, curved.

Distribution

Widely distributed throughout the mountainous areas of Washington; British Columbia south to California, east to Montana, Colorado and New Mexico.

Habitat

Common in open forests at moderate to high elevations in the mountains.