Pedicularis furbishiae

Furbish's Lousewort
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Scrophulariales
Family:	Scrophulariaceae
Genus:	Pedicularis L.

Furbish's Lousewort (Pedicularis furbishiae) is a perennial herb found only on the shores of the upper St. John River in Maine and New Brunswick. Furbish's lousewort was first recognized as a new species by Maine naturalist and botanical artist Kate Furbish in 1880 ^[1]. It is considered an endangered species in the United States and Canada, and is threatened by habitat destruction, as well as riverside development, forestry, littering and recreational use of the riverbank. It is in the same family as snapdragon and figwort. Because it is endangered and endemic to the area, development projects must be sure to preserve its habitat. It was once thought to be extinct, making it a Lazarus taxon.

Description

Furbish's Lousewort is not distinguished by large and showy flowers. It "averages 75 cm in height. During its first few years of growth, it forms a basal rosette of deeply incised fern like leaves. Usually after three years the Lousewort begins to flower, often from a single, slightly hairy and reddish tinged stem with a few branches near the top. Furbish's Lousewort flowers are small, yellow and snap-dragon like. They are clustered in a short cylindrical head, and open sequentially from the lower to the upper-most between July and August." ^[2]

Habitat

It grows on the bank of the St. John River in three areas of New Brunswick and at 18 sites in Maine. ^[3] It needs moist, unstable, semi-shaded, eroding banks subject to flooding, and ice-scouring.

Sources

[1] ttp://www.naturaltourist.com/content/content.asp?CGYID=20&CID=253&LID=5

[2] ttp://www.naturetrust.nb.ca/st-john-furbish-lousewort.php

[3] ttp://www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca/search/speciesDetails_e.cfm?SpeciesID=179

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