Marsh lousewort
Using its weight, the bumblebee opens the flower, pushes its head inside, and reaches the nectar at the bottom.
Photo: Jens H. Petersen
Photo: Jens H. Petersen
Marsh lousewort is a hemi-parasite, i.e. though the plant itself has photosynthesis, an important part of its nutrition is due to parasitizing on the roots of plants that grow nearby.
Louseworts have strange, partly closed flowers, which are pollinated by bumble bees with long proboscis.
Bumble bees are large and heavy, and when they land on the flowers, their weight makes the flower open exactly enough for the bee to squeeze the head in and reach the nectar at the bottom of the flower with its proboscis. When eating the nectar, they pollinate the flower.
The scientific name of marsh lousewort, pedicularis, comes from Latin where pediculus means louse, and previously extracts of the plant have been used combat lice.
Facts:
- Greenhouse location: The exhibition “Fabulous Flowers”
- Danish name: Eng-troldurt
- Latin name: Pedicularis palustris
- Family: The figwort family / Scrophulariaceae
- Natural habitat: Wetlands and boggy habitats.