Plants 20–80 cm. Leaves: basal 0–10, blade lanceolate, 20–120 x 10–60 mm, 1- or 2-pinnatifid, margins of adjacent lobes nonoverlapping or slightly overlapping distally, 1- or 2-serrate, surfaces glabrous; cauline 4–10, blade lanceolate, 10–270 x 8–150 mm, undivided or 1- or 2-pinnatifid, margins of adjacent lobes nonoverlapping, serrate to 2-serrate, surfaces glabrous or scattered glandular. Racemes simple, 1–4, exceeding basal leaves, each 15–75-flowered; bracts lanceolate or subulate to trullate, 10–20 x 2–10 mm, undivided, proximal margins entire, distal entire or serrate, surfaces glabrous, hispid, or tomentose. Pedicels 0.5–1 mm. Flowers: calyx 7–15 mm, glabrous or tomentose, lobes 5, triangular or filiform, 1–10 mm, apex entire, glabrous or ciliate; corolla 14–27 mm, tube yellow or dark blood red, 6–12 mm; galea yellow to yellow tinged with red, purple tinged with yellow, or dark blood red, 6–15 mm, beakless or beaked, beak straight, 0.8–2.5 mm, margins entire medially and distally, apex arching over abaxial lip; abaxial lip expanded, yellow, yellow tinged with purple, or dark blood red, 4.5–6.5 mm.

Distribution

w North America.

Discussion

Varieties 8 (8 in the flora).

Pedicularis bracteosa is found in subalpine habitats across much of western North America, occurring throughout the Rocky Mountains from central British Columbia and Alberta to northern New Mexico, as well as the Coast Range south to northern California.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Pedicularis bracteosa var. atrosanguinea, Pedicularis bracteosa var. bracteosa, Pedicularis bracteosa var. canbyi, Pedicularis bracteosa var. flavida, Pedicularis bracteosa var. latifolia, Pedicularis bracteosa var. pachyrhiza, Pedicularis bracteosa var. paysoniana, Pedicularis bracteosa var. siifolia

Key

1	Galeas beaked.	> 2
2	Calyces tomentose.	Pedicularis bracteosa var. canbyi
2	Calyces glabrous.	Pedicularis bracteosa var. siifolia
1	Galeas beakless.	> 3
3	Calyx lobes filiform.	> 4
4	Corollas: tubes yellow, galeas yellow to yellow tinged with red, or purple tinged with yellow, abaxial lips yellow to yellow tinged with purple.	Pedicularis bracteosa var. bracteosa
4	Corollas: tubes, galeas, and abaxial lips dark blood red.	Pedicularis bracteosa var. atrosanguinea
3	Calyx lobes triangular.	> 5
5	Galeas 10–15 mm.	Pedicularis bracteosa var. paysoniana
5	Galeas 7–11 mm.	> 6
6	Galea apices acute; British Colombia, Idaho, Washington.	Pedicularis bracteosa var. latifolia
6	Galea apices obtuse; Blue and Wallowa mountains, Cascade Range, Oregon and Washington.	> 7
7	Calyces slightly hispid; Cascade Range, Oregon and Washington.	Pedicularis bracteosa var. flavida
7	Calyces tomentose; Blue and Wallowa mountains, Oregon, and Washington.	Pedicularis bracteosa var. pachyrhiza