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large toothwort

Constance's bittercress

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.

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
from FNA
CT; MA; ME; MI; NJ; NY; OH; PA; VT; NB; ON; QC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID
[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.)

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
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. angulata, C. angustata, C. bellidifolia, C. blaisdellii, C. breweri, C. bulbosa, C. californica, C. clematitis, C. concatenata, 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
Name authority (Nuttall) Alph. Wood: Amer. Bot. Fl., 38. (1870) Detling: Madroño 3: 176, plate 9. (1935)
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