Flower profile
Dwarf lousewort
Pedicularis centranthera
Dwarf lousewort is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: New Mexico
Quick look
Pedicularis centranthera is a species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae known by the common names dwarf lousewort and Great Basin lousewort. It is native to the western United States from eastern Oregon and California to Colorado and New Mexico, where it grows in sagebrush and other basin and plateau habitat.
- It belongs to the Orobanchaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 7 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to New Mexico. NatureServe
- iNaturalist has 678 research-grade sightings of it in New Mexico, ranking #87 among the 109 flowers on our New Mexico list. iNaturalist
Dwarf lousewort gift ideas
Handmade dwarf lousewort gifts from independent makers.
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Dwarf lousewort art print
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Dwarf lousewort greeting card
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Dwarf lousewort mug
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Dwarf lousewort earrings
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Dwarf lousewort embroidery pattern
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Dwarf lousewort sticker
When does it bloom?
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- New Mexico
- Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Mexico. 19.21.2.9 NMAC
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: CA (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records dwarf lousewort in 7 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah.
New Mexico counties with USDA records: Bernalillo, Rio Arriba, San Juan, Sandoval, Taos.
More New Mexico flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile PECE.
- iNaturalist, Pedicularis centranthera: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Pedicularis centranthera (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- New Mexico: New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC).
- New Mexico: New Mexico Noxious Weed List (NM Department of Agriculture, updated June 2020).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Pedicularis centranthera (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Mark Pollock via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.