Lousewort
Denali National Park
Common in the tundra and alpine regions, Pedicularis acapitata features dense compact flower spikes in rich magenta-purple, with distinctive two-lipped tubular blossoms with darker veining. Lousewort is a fascinating hemiparasite - a plant produces its own food through photosynthesis but which also taps into the roots of neighboring plants for water and nutrients., enabling them to survive in the nutrient poor soils of the tundra. Photo © copyright by Ed Fuhr.