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large toothwort

angle bitter-cress, angle-leaf bitter-cress, seaside bitter-cress

Habit Perennials; glabrous (except leaflet margins and, sometimes, rachis). Perennials; glabrous or sparsely pubescent.
Rhizomes

cylindrical, 3–6 mm diam., (distinctly constricted at intervals, non-uniform diam., fleshy, slightly fragile, with dentate leaf scars).

cylindrical, slender, to 2 mm diam.

Stems

erect, unbranched, 0.9–3(–4) dm.

erect, unbranched, (1.5–)2.5–8.5(–10) dm, sparsely to densely hirsute at base.

Rhizomal leaves

3-foliolate, 7–20 cm, leaflets petiolulate or subsessile;

petiole 4–15 cm;

lateral leaflets subsessile or petiolulate, blade often similar to terminal, base often oblique;

terminal leaflet (petiolule 0.2–1(–1.7) cm), blade broadly ovate to oblong, 2–7.5 cm × 12–37 mm, base cuneate to obtuse, margins coarsely dentate to sharply incised, or deeply cleft into 2 or 3 lobes (lobes dentate or incised, margins puberulent).

3 (or 5)-foliolate, (4–)7–20(–22) cm, leaflets petiolulate or subsessile;

petiole (2–)4–12(–14) cm;

lateral leaflets subsessile, blade similar to terminal, larger or smaller in size;

terminal leaflet petiolulate [(0.3–)0.5–1.5 cm], blade ovate to broadly lanceolate, 1.5–7(–9) cm, base usually cuneate, rarely subreniform or obtuse, margins 3–5(–7)-lobed or -toothed, surfaces puberulent.

Cauline leaves

2 or 3, 3-foliolate, (rarely subopposite), petiolate, leaflets petiolulate or subsessile;

petiole (0.5–)1–4(–6.5) cm, base not auriculate;

lateral and terminal leaflets similar to rhizomal, distalmost sometimes much smaller.

(3 or) 4–8, 3 (or 5)-foliolate, petiolate, leaflets petiolulate or sessile;

petiole 1–4 cm, base not auriculate;

lateral leaflets sessile, blade similar to terminal, smaller, margins usually dentate, rarely entire;

terminal leaflet sessile or petiolulate, blade broadly ovate to narrowly lanceolate, 2–7 cm × 6–40 mm, margins minutely pubescent.

Racemes

ebracteate.

ebracteate.

Flowers

sepals (erect to ascending), oblong, 5–7 × 2–3 mm, lateral pair slightly saccate basally;

petals white or pink, oblanceolate, 10–17 × 3–6 mm, (not clawed, apex rounded);

filaments: median pairs 4–8 mm, lateral pair 3–6.5 mm;

anthers linear, 1.7–2.7 mm.

sepals oblong, 2.5–4 × 1.3–2 mm, lateral pair saccate basally;

petals usually white, rarely pinkish, obovate, 8–15 × 4–8 mm (clawed, apex rounded or emarginate);

filaments: median pairs 3.5–6 mm, lateral pair 2–3.5 mm;

anthers oblong, 0.8–1.2 mm.

Fruiting pedicels

(flowering ones) horizontal to divaricate or deflexed, 7–20 mm.

ascending to divaricate, (9–)12–25 mm.

Fruits

(undeveloped), linear-lanceolate, to 3 cm × 2 mm;

ovules 10–14 per ovary;

style 3.5–7 mm.

linear, 1.5–3.2 cm × 1.4–2 mm;

ovules 10–16 per ovary;

style (0.5–)1–4 mm.

Seeds

not known.

dark brown, oblong, 1.8–2.3 × 1–1.2 mm.

2n

= 120, 124, 132, 138, 156, 161, ca. 208.

= 40.

Cardamine maxima

Cardamine angulata

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jun. Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat Rich woods, shady ravines, ledges, moist alluvial bottoms, steep forested slopes, stream banks Moist ground, stream banks, swampy or damp woods, thickets, wet meadows
Elevation 0-900 m (0-3000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CT; MA; ME; MI; NJ; NY; OH; PA; VT; NB; ON; QC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Cardamine maxima has not been found with mature fruits and seeds and it has long been suspected to be a hybrid between C. concatenata and C. diphylla. Molecular studies (P. W. Sweeney and R. A. Price 2000) indicate that C. maxima is distinct from both those species. Although we hesitate to maintain it as a species, its wide distribution and morphological distinctness warrant its recognition.

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

Source FNA vol. 7, p. 477. FNA vol. 7, p. 467.
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. longii, C. macrocarpa, 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. 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. pratensis, C. purpurea, C. rotundifolia, C. rupicola, C. umbellata
Synonyms Dentaria maxima, C. anomala, Dentaria anomala C. angulata var. alba, C. angulata var. hirsuta, C. angulata var. pentaphylla, Dentaria grandiflora
Name authority (Nuttall) Alph. Wood: Amer. Bot. Fl., 38. (1870) Hooker: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 44. (1829)
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