This attractive plant with spikes of red and yellow flowers is a semi-parasite. This means that, although it contains chlorophyll and can produce its own food, it also attaches to roots of other plants and extracts food and water from these hosts. It is known to parasitize at least 80 species of vascular plants, many of which are trees. The hairy fern-like leaves were thought to harbor lice; another name for this plant is lousewort.

Scrophulariaceae

Figwort Family