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narrow-leaf bitter-cress

alpine bitter-cress

Habit Biennials or, rarely, annuals; usually glabrous, rarely sparsely pubescent basally. Perennials (somewhat cespitose, subscapose); glabrous throughout.
Rhizomes

absent.

absent (caudex usually with slender, rarely stout, rhizomelike branches).

Stems

erect, (angled, sometimes flexuous), unbranched basally, usually branched distally, (1.2–)2–6.5(–9) dm.

erect to ascending, branched (several), 0.1–0.8(–1.4) dm, glabrous.

Basal leaves

(often withered by flowering), rosulate, similar to cauline, with fewer distal leaflets.

rosulate, simple, (0.6–)1.2–5(–7) cm;

petiole (3–)1–3.5(–5.5) cm;

blade usually ovate to oblong, rarely oblanceolate to obovate, (0.4–)0.8–1.7(–2.5) cm × (2–)5–10(–16) mm, base cuneate to obtuse, margins usually entire, rarely repand or obtusely small-toothed (apex obtuse).

Cauline leaves

9–24, (9–)13–25-foliolate, petiolate, leaflets petiolulate;

petiole 2–6 cm, base auriculate (auricles to 10 × 2.2 mm);

lateral leaflets similar to terminal, blade often smaller;

terminal leaflet (petiolule to 0.5 cm), blade orbicular, obovate, ovate, or lanceolate, 1–4(–5) cm × 5–17 mm, margins entire or 3–5(–9)-toothed or -lobed.

0 or 1 (or 2), simple, shortly petiolate;

petiole base not auriculate;

blade similar to basal leaves, much smaller.

Racemes

ebracteate.

ebracteate.

Flowers

sepals oblong, 1.2–2(–2.5) × 0.7–1(–1.2) mm, lateral pair not saccate basally;

petals (rarely absent), white, oblanceolate, 1.5–4(–5) × 0.6–1.2 mm;

filaments 2–3(–4) mm;

anthers ovate, 0.3–0.5 mm.

sepals oblong, 2–3(–4) × 0.8–1.5(–2) mm, lateral pair not saccate basally;

petals white, oblanceolate, 4–5.5(–7) × 1.3–2(–2.5) mm (not clawed, apex rounded or emarginate);

filaments: median pairs 2.5–4 mm, lateral pair 2–3 mm;

anthers oblong, 0.5–0.9 mm.

Fruiting pedicels

divaricate or ascending, 3.5–12(–15) mm.

ascending to erect, 3–6(–8) mm.

Fruits

linear, (torulose), (1–)1.6–3(–3.5) cm × 0.9–1.5 mm; (valves glabrous or, rarely, pilose);

ovules 10–30 per ovary;

style 0.6–1.6(–2) mm.

linear, (0.8–)1.3–2.8(–3.7) cm × 1.3–2 mm;

ovules 8–18 per ovary;

style 0.5–3 mm.

Seeds

brown, oblong, 1.1–1.5 × 0.8–1 mm, (compressed, sometimes narrowly winged apically).

brown, oblong, 1.5–2 × 0.9–1.2 mm.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Cardamine impatiens

Cardamine bellidifolia

Phenology Flowering May–Jul. Flowering Jun–Sep.
Habitat Streamsides, slopes, roadsides, fields, disturbed areas Mossy areas, tundra, marshes at stream headwaters, cliffs, talus slopes, barren chert slopes, moist rock crevices, rocky slopes, alpine streams, sandy beaches, moist rocky streambeds
Elevation 0-200 m (0-700 ft) 0-2300 m (0-7500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CT; KY; MI; MN; NH; OH; PA; VA; WV; ON; Eurasia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in South Africa]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; CA; ME; NH; OR; WA; AB; BC; LB; NT; NU; QC; YT; Greenland; n Europe; Asia (Russian Far East, Siberia)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 7, p. 476. FNA vol. 7, p. 468.
Parent taxa Brassicaceae > tribe Cardamineae > Cardamine Brassicaceae > tribe Cardamineae > Cardamine
Sibling taxa
C. angulata, C. angustata, C. bellidifolia, C. blaisdellii, C. breweri, C. bulbosa, C. californica, C. clematitis, C. concatenata, C. constancei, C. cordifolia, C. digitata, C. diphylla, C. dissecta, C. douglassii, C. flagellifera, C. flexuosa, C. hirsuta, C. holmgrenii, C. longii, C. macrocarpa, C. maxima, C. micranthera, C. microphylla, C. nuttallii, C. nymanii, C. occidentalis, C. oligosperma, C. pachystigma, C. parviflora, C. pattersonii, C. penduliflora, C. pensylvanica, C. pratensis, C. purpurea, C. rotundifolia, C. rupicola, C. umbellata
C. angulata, C. angustata, C. blaisdellii, C. breweri, C. bulbosa, C. californica, C. clematitis, C. concatenata, C. constancei, C. cordifolia, C. digitata, C. diphylla, C. dissecta, C. douglassii, C. flagellifera, C. flexuosa, C. hirsuta, C. holmgrenii, C. impatiens, C. longii, C. macrocarpa, C. maxima, C. micranthera, C. microphylla, C. nuttallii, C. nymanii, C. occidentalis, C. oligosperma, C. pachystigma, C. parviflora, C. pattersonii, C. penduliflora, C. pensylvanica, C. pratensis, C. purpurea, C. rotundifolia, C. rupicola, C. umbellata
Synonyms C. impatiens var. angustifolia C. bellidifolia var. beringensis, C. bellidifolia var. laxa, C. bellidifolia var. pachyphylla, C. bellidifolia var. pinnatifida
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 655. (1753) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 654. (1753)
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