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What is lousewort?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

March 3, 2003

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

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The red rattle or lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica Linnaeus) is native to temperate zones of Europe and Asia. In 1597, John Gerard wrote, "Red rattle...hath very small, rent, or jagged leaves, of a browne red colour, and weake, small and tender stalkes, whereof some lie along trailing upon the ground; within very moorish medowes they grow a cubit high and more, but in moist and wet heathes, and such like barren ground not above an handful high."

Any ground that could not be built on or cultivated was considered 'barren' land. Farmers turned their animals out to graze in these areas. Moors became over-grazed.

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Flock of Sheep Grazing in a Field, Sitges, Spain

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Lousewort was considered "cold and drie and astringent" recommended for wounds that would not heal and female problems. "It is held to be good for Fistulaes (boils or openings caused by infection) and hollow ulcers, and to stay the overmuch flowing of the menses or any other flux of bloud, if it be boiled in red wine and drunke."

Because lousewort "groweth in moist and moorish medowes, the herbe is not onely unprofitable, but also hurtfull, and an infirmitie of the medowes. It is called...in Latine, Pedicularis, of the effect, because it filleth sheep and other cattel that feed in medowes where this groweth full of lice...." (The Herbal or General Historie of Plants, 1633 ed.)

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When Mrs. Grieve wrote A Modern Herbal in 1931, people understood the relationship between poor diet and health. She reiterated on the vernacular, lousewort, "from a belief that sheep eating it became diseased and covered with parasites, but when sheep do suffer in this manner...it is really because the presence of it in a pasture indicates a very bad and unsuitable pasture, since marshy land, best suited to its growth, is the worst from the health point of view for the sheep." (A Modern Herbal, reprinted 1996, Barnes and Noble)


Den Virtuella Floran has posted several photographs of lousewort taken by Börje Wernersson and Arne Anderberg. To view the photographs, click on the link:

http://linnaeus.nrm.se/flora/di/scrophularia/pedic/pedisyl.html

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the images.

Unlike red rattle, Canadian lousewort (Pedicularis canadensis Linnaeus) is an upland species. The Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida has photographs of Canadian lousewort taken by Gil Nelson, Robert Kowal, and Walter Taylor.

http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu/images.asp?plantID=2212

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the images.

 

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

 

Suggested Reading:

What herbs prevented evil on Midsummer's Eve? Herbal Folklore - June 24, 2002
What is a sanicle? What's in a Name? - May 16, 2003
What are chiggers? Renfield's Garden - May 14, 2003
What medicinal herb repels mosquitoes? Herbal Folklore - February 4, 2002
What flower moves when touched? Renfield's Garden - August 14, 2002

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