#pedicularis

Lousewort, probably Pedicularis sylvatica, below the Steall Waterfall in Glen Nevis. Pedicularis are often found in acidic, nutrient-poor areas. They’re able to do this because they’re hemiparasitic and “steal” nutrients from the roots of neighboring plants, while also doing some photosynthesis of their own. 

Pedicularis canadensis

Wood Betony,

often associated with prairie remnants and savanna, often with little bluestem , grama grasses, and the big bluestem group, in more open habitats. 

Here in RRG we see it 

On less ericaceous, richer mesic hillsides deeply sloped and rocky enough to still experience part shade to full sun light specifications similar to open woods or savanna despite the fire suppression long since supplied to Kentucky( along with every state) with fragmentation and the brainwashing words of smokey the bear, These hillsides with more alkaline lime parental material to acidic sand there is less specialized ephemeral forbes and with that more common mid spring forbe diversity total since site requirements are so broad. Here is a classic locally abundant species that generally is found more inline with specific aster population diversity, such as Prenanthes spp., Krigia biflora, and Packera obovata. The common grasses and sedges on these more open hillside sites depending on light exposure level are Koeleria macrantha, Carex pensylvanica,  Aristida purpurea, and Carex communis, all of which are associated heavily with each other due to basal foliage, more light requirements, and lower growth form (except for Koeleria macrantha). While competition and cohabitation of niche is an indirect association, this species typically requires direct association for long term establishment. As a hemiparasitic plant, this species does photosynthesize but is known to establish in higher quantities when the grasses and sedges above are more present as it’s primary host species are these grass and sedge species in these open forest habitats. While every once in a while finding it’s haustoria in the vigorous asteraceae (honestly most things in direct rootzone, including trees) and potentially reducing their vigor keeping competition functions minimalized it’s primary hosts are more than likely chemically sniffed out from the root exudence made/excreted as the roots of these sedges and grasses elongate, instead of what is just an interaction due to root zones interacting. Haustoria are specialized organs found in many parasitic plants that enable a plant to embed themselves forming a vascular union where they can force/ share nutrients at will. It’s very similar to ectomycorrhizal embeddance between cells where the haustoria are found in intracellular gaps between cells prior to tapping vascular regions in full. So this would be visually much different from endo-arbuscular mycorrhizal connections which are cell invaginators and embedders. I will reiterate this, when I say look, I am truly speaking of visually looks similar, interaction wise, they are still very different mechanisms. As for spreading, while seeds are the primary establishment factor, if hosts are present, large clumps of this population grow asexually via rhizomes in a relatively unidirectional pattern. 

Elephanthead (Pedicularis groenlandica) at Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge (via USFWS Mountain-Prairie)

On the hunt for an adder’s tongue!