Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Pedicularis tristis in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 608 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
Today: The current name for this species is Pedicularis tristis L.
original Latin description
Pedicularis caule simplici, corollarum galeis margine villosis.
English translation
Pedicularis with a stem unbranched; [and] of the corollas with hoods at the margin villous.
| Pedicularis | Pedicularis |
| with a stem | caule - ablative singular of third declension masculine noun caulis, caulis |
| unbranched; | simplici - ablative singular masculine of group B adjective simplex, simplex, simpex; modifies caule |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| of the corollas | corollarum - genitive plural of first declension feminine noun corolla, -ae |
| with hoods | galeis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun galea, -ae |
| at the margin | margine - ablative singular of third declension masculine noun margo, marginis |
| villous. | villosis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective villosus, -a, -um; agrees with galeis |