Pedicularis pyrenaica

Perennial of the Orobanchaceae family, endemic to the Pyrenees, where it is found on both sides of the range, both French and Spanish sides. It occupies subalpine and alpine meadows, moist rocks, stream banks, and snow hollows, generally between 1,600 and 2,800 meters, on calcareous or mixed substrates.

The plant forms small low and dense tufts, rarely reaching 10 to 15 cm in height when in bloom. The foliage is finely pinnatifid, with deeply cut segments, of a medium green to slightly bronzed, giving the tuft an almost fern-like very elegant appearance.

The flowers, bright pink to pink-purple, are bilabiate and remarkable for their strongly curved beak-like galea, an immediately recognizable feature that distinguishes this species at first glance. They are gathered in short and tight clusters at the top of the reddish stems.

In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from June to August depending on altitude.

Like all louseworts, this species is hemiparasitic, capable of attaching to the roots of various neighboring plants without dependence on a particular host. This characteristic makes its cultivation particularly delicate.