Scrophulariaceae Family - "Wood Betony, Lousewort, Snaffles, Beefsteak Plant, High Heal-all"

Pedicularis comes from the Latin word pediculus, meaning "louse" or "lousy". It was once believed animals that grazed on this plant would soon become infected with lice..

Prefers upland or prairie soils and clearings in woodlands. Found throughout the central and eastern US and prefers soils leaning toward the acid side. Produces 1-inch, snapdragon-like yellow flowers from April to June.

In the central plains, the Meskwaki boild the entire plant and used the resulting tea to treat internal swellings and tumors. A poultice made from the roots of this plant was used to treat external swelling. The same poultice was also used to treat rattlesnake bites and as a magic charm. Several different tribes apparently used this plant or portions of it as a love potion. Some tribes would slip finely chopped pieces of the root into cooking food. If the people who ate the food didn't know the chopped root had been dropped into the food and had bee quarrelsome earlier, they would soon become lovers again. Men of the Menomini Tribe carried the root with them if they were considering a little courting...we're not sure what they used the root for.

Conversely, the Menomini also believed if this plant was fed to their horse or pony, it made the animal vicious to everyone but the owner of the horse. It's a good thing there was a natural order to these things...the only possible thing worse than a vicious girlfriend would be an amorous horse.