Lousewort

Look out for lousewort one of the positive indicator plants on the ACRES grassland and peatland scorecard, meaning that fields score higher and farmers get more money where present. It is a small low growing plant found in damp and acidic habitats. It has delicately lobed leaves and bright pink flowers with two lips, 2–2.5 cm long. The upper is like a hook and it is slightly longer than the bottom lip which has three lobes. Marsh lousewort is taller and grows in slightly wetter grassland. It has very similar flowers but its upper lip is the same length as the lower lip. Louseworts are partially parasitic plants and are part of our native Irish biodiversity.

lousewort growing in its habitat