Dicentra nevadensis
Dicentra ochroleuca
Sierra bleeding heart, Tulare County bleeding heart
white eardrops
1 or more, rigidly erect, 10-20(-40) dm, 2-3 cm or more diam. at base.
(10-)15-25(-30) × (5-)8-12(-18) cm;
blade with 3-4 orders of leaflets and lobes;
penultimate lobes oblong, distal usually coarsely 3-toothed at apex, (3-)6-12(-20) × 1.5-4 mm.
(12-)25-35(-50) × (6-)10-20(-35) cm;
blade with 4 orders of leaflets and lobes; ultimate leaflets (10-)20-30(-60) × (5-)8-15(-30) mm, ultimate lobes linear-lanceolate.
paniculate, 2-20-flowered, shorter than to exceeding leaves;
bracts linear-lanceolate, 4-7(-10) × 1-1.5 mm, apex acuminate.
terminal, paniculate, 5-many-flowered, subglobose;
bracts nearly round to ovate, 4-8 × 3-7 mm, margins entire.
pendent;
sepals ovate to acuminate-lanceolate, (3-)6-7(-12) × 1-3 mm;
petals white to pale yellow or rose-tinted;
outer petals 12-18 × 2-4 mm, reflexed portion 3-5 mm;
inner petals 11-17 mm, blade 2.5-3.5 mm, claw linear-elliptic to linear-lanceolate, 6-9 × 1-2 mm, crest 1-2 mm diam., exceeding apex by 1-2 mm;
filaments of each bundle connate from base to shortly below anthers except for a 2-6 mm portion of median filament just above base, distinct portion of median filament forming angular loop that projects into base of outer petal; nectariferous tissue borne along loop;
style 4-7 mm;
stigma rhomboid, 2-horned.
erect;
pedicel rigid, 2-10 mm;
sepals nearly round to ovate, (5-)7-10(-12) × 3-7(-9) mm;
petals dull to yellowish white;
outer petals purple-tipped, (15-)22-26(-30) mm, reflexed portion 5-12 mm;
inner petals (15-)20-22(-24) mm, claw 6-9 mm and 2/3 width of blade, crest 3-5 mm diam., exceeding apex by 2-4 mm;
filaments of each bundle connate from base to shortly below anthers, rarely distinct from near base; nectariferous tissue borne at base of median filament, not projecting into outer petal;
stigma shallowly 2-horned, ca. 2 times wider than long.
oblong, (10-)13-16(-20) × 4-5 mm.
ovoid, attenuate at both ends, (10-)20-30(-35) × 5-8 mm.
reniform, ca. 2 mm diam., finely reticulate, elaiosome present.
slightly reniform, ca. 1.3 (rarely to 2) mm diam., densely covered with tiny protuberances, elaiosome absent.
perennial, caulescent, glaucous, from stout taproots.
= 16.
= 32.
Dicentra nevadensis
Dicentra ochroleuca
Of conservation concern.
In Dicentra nevadensis the median filament of each stamen bundle bends out in an angular loop between the base and midpoint; in D. formosa the median filaments lack such loops. Also, the flowers of D. nevadensis are smaller and narrower than those of D. formosa. Pressed flowers of D. nevadensis often turn black, suggesting possible chemical differences, other than in alkaloids, from D. formosa.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The seeds of Dicentra ochroleuca usually do not germinate unless desiccated or seared by fire.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
