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long's bitter-cress

Brewer's bitter-cress, cuckoo bitter-cress, cuckoo flower, European field bitter-cress, lady's-smock, meadow bittercress, pink cuckoo bitter-cress

Habit Perennials; glabrous throughout. Perennials; usually glabrous, rarely sparsely pilose basally.
Rhizomes

cylindrical, slender, 0.8–1.5 mm diam.

cylindrical, (not fragile), relatively short, (not fleshy).

Stems

prostrate to decumbent or erect, unbranched or branched, 0.5–4(–6) dm.

erect, unbranched, (0.8–)1.5–5.5(–8) dm.

Rhizomal leaves

absent.

simple or 5–9(–31)-foliolate, to 30 cm, (thin, veins raised), leaflets petiolulate or sessile;

petiole (1–)2–7(–10) cm;

lateral leaflets petiolulate or sessile, blade similar to terminal or smaller, orbicular, ovate, or obovate, margins crenate or repand;

terminal leaflet (petiolule to 1.5 cm), blade orbicular or broadly obovate, 0.3–2 cm diam., base usually rounded, rarely subreniform or cuneate, margins repand, (apex rounded).

Cauline leaves

3–10, usually simple, rarely 3 or 5-foliolate, petiolate;

petiolulate or sessile;

petiole 0.4–2.5 cm, base not auriculate;

lateral leaflets (when present) sessile or petiolulate (to 0.2 cm), blade similar to terminal, considerably smaller;

terminal leaflet blade orbicular to reniform or ovate to oblong, 0.4–3 cm × 3–20 mm, (somewhat fleshy), base subcordate to rounded or subtruncate, margins entire or repand, rarely undulate, (apex rounded).

2–12(–18), pinnatisect, petiolate, leaflets petiolulate or sessile, (2–17 cm including petiole, thin, veins raised);

petiole base not auriculate;

lobes or leaflets (4–7(–13) each side of rachis), petiolulate or sessile and decurrent, blade similar to terminal lobe or leaflet, margins usually entire, rarely dentate;

terminal lobe or leaflet (petiolulate or sessile), blade linear, oblong, ovate, or lanceolate, 1–2.5(–3.5) cm × 5–8(–10) mm, (surfaces glabrous).

Racemes

ebracteate.

ebracteate.

Flowers

sepals ovate, 0.7–1.2 × 0.5–0.7 mm, lateral pair not saccate basally;

petals absent or rudimentary, to 0.7 mm;

filaments 0.5–0.8 mm;

anthers ovate, 0.1–0.2 mm.

sepals (erect or spreading), oblong or ovate, (2.5–)3–5(–6) × 1–2 mm, lateral pair saccate basally;

petals usually purple or lilac, rarely white, obovate, (6–)8–15(–18) × 3–7.5(–10) mm, (clawed, apex rounded or emarginate);

filaments: median pairs 5–10 mm, lateral pair 3–6 mm;

anthers narrowly oblong, (0.8–)1.2–2 mm.

Fruiting pedicels

divaricate-ascending to spreading, 0.5–2(–4) mm.

erect-ascending or subdivaricate, (5–)12–25(–30) mm.

Fruits

narrowly oblong to linear, (3–)5–10(–15) × 0.8–1.2 mm;

ovules 6–22 per ovary;

style 0.2–0.5(–1) mm.

linear, (1.6–)2.5–4.5(–5) cm × (1.2–)1.5–2.3 mm;

ovules 20–30 per ovary;

style (0.5–)1–2.2(–2.7) mm, (stout).

Seeds

light or yellowish brown, oblong or ovoid, 1–1.4 × 0.7–1 mm.

light brown, oblong, 1.2–1.8(–2) × 1–1.4 mm.

2n

= 16.

Cardamine longii

Cardamine pratensis

Phenology Flowering Jun–Sep. Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Tidal marshes, mud flats, tidal shores of rivers, shallow water, swampy areas, shady rocky crevices covered at high tide Moist grounds, stream sides, limestone shores, sedge and grass meadows, marshy pond margins, mossy areas, wet hollows, boggy areas, turfy shores, damp creek banks, swamps, brooks and ditches, moist ravines, springy swales
Elevation 0-10 m (0-0 ft) 0-1000 m (0-3300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
FL; MA; MD; ME; NC; NJ; NY; SC; VA
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CT; IN; MA; ME; MI; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; VT; BC; NB; NF; NS; ON; QC; Eurasia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The taxonomy of Cardamine pratensis in North America requires further detailed study. Most, if not all, populations of this species were introduced from Europe. Some specimens resemble the European C. dentata Schultes (high polyploid, characterized by all leaves, including distalmost, pinnate with petiolate and sometimes deciduous leaflets) and these populations might be native.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 7, p. 476. FNA vol. 7, p. 482.
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. impatiens, 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. 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. 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. purpurea, C. rotundifolia, C. rupicola, C. umbellata
Synonyms Dracamine pratensis
Name authority Fernald: Rhodora 19: 91. (1917) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 656. (1753)
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