Corydalis micrantha
Corydalis
smallflower corydalis, smallflower fumewort
corydalis, fumewort
1-several, erect to prostrate-ascending, (1.5-)2-4(-6) dm.
erect to prostrate, simple or branching.
crowded, compound;
blade with 2 orders of leaflets and lobes; ultimate lobes ovate, oblong-elliptic, or obovate, margins incised, apex subapiculate.
basal and/or cauline, simple or usually compound;
blade with 2-6 orders of leaflets and/or lobes.
racemose, (6-)10-16(-20)-flowered, primary racemes slightly to conspicuously exceeding leaves, secondary racemes fewer flowered, exceeded by leaves, cleistogamous-flowered racemes frequently present, 1-5-flowered, inconspicuous;
bracts elliptic to attenuate-ovate, 5-8 × 2-4 mm, margins denticulate, distal bracts usually much reduced, those of cleistogamous racemes minute.
axillary or terminal, paniculate or racemose, multifloral, sometimes cleistogamous-flowered (in Corydalis flavula, occasionally C. micrantha).
erect or spreading;
pedicel 2-6 mm;
sepals ovate, to 1.5 mm, margins often sinuate or dentate;
petals pale to medium yellow; spurred petal slightly to strongly curved, (11-)12-14(-15) mm, spur straight, 4-7 mm, apex obtuse or ± globose, crest low, wrinkled, rarely obsolescent, marginal wing well developed, sometimes revolute, unspurred outer petal slightly bent, 9-11 mm, crest low;
inner petals oblanceolate, 7-10 mm, blade apex 2 times or more wider than base, basal lobes obscure, claw 3-4 mm; nectariferous spur straight or curved, sometimes clavate, ca. 3/5 length of petal spur;
style ca. 4 mm;
stigma rectangular, 2-lobed, 1/2 as long as wide, with 8 papillae.
bilaterally symmetric about 1 plane;
sepals caducous or persistent;
petals distinct or somewhat coherent basally, not spongy;
outer petals dissimilar, each with median adaxial keel or crest, sometimes with distal marginal wing, 1 basally spurred, the other sometimes gibbous but not spurred;
inner petals connate apically;
stamens with nectariferous spur projecting from near base of median filament in bundle opposite spurred petal and adhering to inner surface of petal spur;
ovary broadly ovoid to obovoid;
stigma persistent, with or without 2 lobes or apical horns, or 4-8 papillar stigmatic surfaces.
erect, linear, slender, straight to slightly incurved, 10-35 mm, essentially glabrous, usually shorter in cleistogamous-flowered racemes.
dehiscent, 2-valved.
ca. 1.5 mm diam., concentrically and minutely decorated, marginal ring absent.
few-many, reniform to subglobose, elaiosome usually present.
= 8.
Corydalis micrantha
Corydalis
Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora).
Corydalis micrantha can be distinguished readily from other yellow-flowered North American species by its very small seeds. Cleistogamy is encountered regularly in C. micrantha. A single plant from any part of the range may have only cleistogamous flowers, only chasmogamous flowers, or both types. Plants having only cleistogamous flowers usually are much more profusely and delicately branched. In C. micrantha, at least, shade and age appear to play roles in the initiation of cleistogamy.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Species ca. 100 (10 in the flora).
Several native species of Corydalis have been grown as ornamentals, particularly C. scouleri, C. aurea, C. sempervirens, and C. caseana; they may be found as garden escapes in areas of the continent outside their natural ranges. Two Eurasian species that are widely cultivated in the flora area also escape sometimes, but evidently they are not truly naturalized here. Corydalis lutea (Linneaus) de Candolle, reported from New York and Oregon, can be distinguished from the native species that also are rhizomatous perennials by its yellow petals and axillary racemes. Corydalis solida (Linneaus) Swartz (sometimes identified as C. bulbosa Persoon), reported from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and southern Ontario, can be distinguished from the native species that also are tuberous perennials by its lack of sepals, pedicels usually longer than 10 mm, and sometimes yellow petals.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Racemes of chasmogamous flowers not greatly exceeding leaves, often short; petal spur ± globose at apex; capsules often stout, commonly 10–15 mm. | subsp. micrantha |
1. Racemes of chasmogamous flowers often greatly exceeding leaves, elongate; petal spur blunt, not globose at apex; capsules slender, commonly 15–30 mm. | → 2 |
2. Stems usually weak; capsules commonly 15–20 mm. | subsp. australis |
2. Stems usually stout; capsules commonly 21–35 mm. | subsp. texensis |
1. Plants perennial; petals not yellow; stigma as long as or longer than wide; capsules oblong to obovoid, reflexed. | → 2 |
1. Plants annual or biennial; petals yellow, or pink tipped yellow; stigma wider than long; capsules narrowly to broadly linear, usually not reflexed. | → 5 |
2. Roots small, tuberous, usually forked; petals blue, often purple-tinged; stigma rhomboid, narrower toward base; n British Columbia, w Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Alaska. | C. pauciflora |
2. Rhizome or roots large and fleshy; petals pink or white; stigma rectangular or triangular, not narrower toward base; w United States and s British Columbia. | → 3 |
3. Primary inflorescence axis with ca. 15–35 flowers; inner petals not tipped deep red or purple; stigma ± triangular; capsules obovoid; seeds ca. 3.5 mm diam. | C. scouleri |
3. Primary inflorescence axis typically with 50 or more flowers; inner petals tipped red or purple; stigma roughly rectangular; capsules usually ellipsoid; seeds 2–2.5 mm diam. | → 4 |
4. Blades of proximal cauline leaves with ultimate lobes mostly more than 15 mm; spurred petal with marginal wing conspicuous; petals with crest absent or beaklike. | C. caseana |
4. Blades of proximal cauline leaves with ultimate lobes 5–15 mm; spurred petal with marginal wing inconspicuous or absent; petals with crest present, wrinkled. | C. aqua-gelidae |
5. Petals pink, tipped yellow, crests absent, claws of inner petals distinctly longer than blades; seeds ca. 1 mm diam. | C. sempervirens |
5. Petals pale to bright yellow throughout, crests present, claws of inner petals equal to or shorter than blades; seeds 1.5–2 mm diam. | → 6 |
6. Spurred petal 7–9 mm, spur incurved, ca. 2 mm; capsules pendent, pedicels long. | C. flavula |
6. Spurred petal typically 10–22 mm, spur not appreciably incurved, ca. 4–8 mm; capsules erect (or pendent at maturity in Corydalis aurea), pedicels short. | → 7 |
7. Outer petals with crest conspicuous, marginal wing very broad; capsules usually with basally pustulate whitish hairs. | C. crystallina |
7. Outer petals with crest inconspicuous, marginal wing medium to narrow; capsules essentially glabrous. | → 8 |
8. Plants frequently bearing inconspicuous cleistogamous flowers; seeds ca. 1.5 mm diam. | C. micrantha |
8. Plants rarely bearing cleistogamous flowers; seeds ca. 2 mm diam. | → 9 |
9. Seeds appearing distinctly rough under magnification. | C. curvisiliqua |
9. Seeds appearing essentially smooth under magnification. | C. aurea |
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