Cardamine maxima |
Cardamine constancei |
|
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large toothwort |
Constance's bittercress |
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Habit | Perennials; glabrous (except leaflet margins and, sometimes, rachis). | Perennials; glabrous or sparsely hirsute. |
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, 1.5–5 dm, glabrous or sparsely hirsute basally. |
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). |
absent. |
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. |
4–7, simple, (crowded distally), petiolate; petiole (0.5–)1–4(–5) cm, base not auriculate; blade usually broadly ovate or ovate-lanceolate to ovate-elliptic, rarely obovate, 5–13 cm × 20–65 mm, base cuneate, margins coarsely serrate (with apiculae), or repand to undulate (margins minutely pubescent, apex acute). |
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, 6–8 × 2–2.5 mm, lateral pair slightly saccate basally; petals pink, oblanceolate, 15–28 × 5–8 mm, (claw to 10 mm, apex rounded); filaments: median pairs 8–10 mm, lateral pair 4–6 mm; anthers linear, 2–3 mm. |
Fruiting pedicels | (flowering ones) horizontal to divaricate or deflexed, 7–20 mm. |
divaricate-ascending to suberect, 10–22 mm. |
Fruits | (undeveloped), linear-lanceolate, to 3 cm × 2 mm; ovules 10–14 per ovary; style 3.5–7 mm. |
linear, 2.5–3.5(–5) cm × 1.9–2.1 mm; ovules 12–16 per ovary; style 2–3.5 mm. |
Seeds | not known. |
brown, oblong, 2–2.5 × 1.2–1.5 mm. |
2n | = 120, 124, 132, 138, 156, 161, ca. 208. |
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Cardamine maxima |
Cardamine constancei |
|
Phenology | Flowering Apr–Jun. | Flowering May–Jun. |
Habitat | Rich woods, shady ravines, ledges, moist alluvial bottoms, steep forested slopes, stream banks | Moist cliffs, wooded creek bottoms, shaded draws, hillsides, moist woods, mixed coniferous forests, granitic soils |
Elevation | 400-600 m (1300-2000 ft) | |
Distribution |
CT; MA; ME; MI; NJ; NY; OH; PA; VT; NB; ON; QC
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ID
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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.) |
Cardamine constancei is known from Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Nez Perce, and Shoshone counties. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 7, p. 477. | FNA vol. 7, p. 471. |
Parent taxa | Brassicaceae > tribe Cardamineae > Cardamine | Brassicaceae > tribe Cardamineae > Cardamine |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Dentaria maxima, C. anomala, Dentaria anomala | |
Name authority | (Nuttall) Alph. Wood: Amer. Bot. Fl., 38. (1870) | Detling: Madroño 3: 176, plate 9. (1935) |
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