Distribution: In the Cascades of Washington; Alaska south to Washington.
Habitat: High mountain meadows.
Flowers: July-September
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Fibrous-rooted perennial with a woody base, the stems 0.5-3 dm. tall, glabrous below the inflorescence.
Basal leaves 3-12 cm. long, slightly exceeding the petiole, sub-pinnatifid, the narrow leaflets deeply cleft and often again toothed; cauline leaves few and poorly developed, or wanting.
Inflorescence capitate, often with one or two smaller, separate, lower clusters; bracts cleft; calyx lobes 5, short, equal; corolla pinkish-purple, bilabiate, the upper lip hooded, extending at right angles into a straight beak; lower lip 3-lobed; stigma capitate.
Capsule glabrous, flattened, curved.
The only other species in our are of a similar reddish color, P. groenlandica, has an elongate inflorescence; P. ornithorhynchus's inflorescence is head-like, about as wide as high.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Pedicularis ornithorhynchos in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.
WA Flora Checklist: Pedicularis ornithorhynchos checklist entry.
E-Flora BC: Pedicularis ornithorhynchos atlas page.
CalPhotos: Pedicularis ornithorhynchos photos.
USDA Plants: Pedicularis ornithorhynchos information.