^y 



FUMARIACE^— FUMITORY FAMILY 



DICENTRA. DUTCHMAN'S-BREECHES. WHITE 



HEARTS 



Dicentra cuculldria. Bicuculla cuculldria 



Dicentra, double spur; from dis, twice, and kentron, a 

 spur. 



Low, stemless perennial. In rich open woods, ravines, 

 and on hillsides. Nova Scotia to Minnesota and Wash- 

 ington, southward to North Carolina, Nebraska, and 

 Missouri. Abundant in ravines of northern Ohio. April, 

 May. 



Root. — Composed of a large number of small tubers 

 closely clustered together and having the appearance of a 

 scaly bulb. 



Scape. — Five to ten inches high, bearing a simple ra- 

 ceme of flowers. 



Leaves. — Delicate, grayish green, thrice compound, 

 finely cut, borne on long, slender stems which rise from 

 the root. 



Flowers. — Borne in a nodding raceme on a scape, ir- 

 regular, white, tipped with pale yellow. 



Calyx. — Of two small, scale-like sepals. 



Corolla. — Four petals in two pairs, somewhat cohering, 

 forming a heart-shaped, flattened, irregular flower; the 

 outer pair of petals extended into two divergent spurs; 

 the small inner petals united above and protecting the 

 slightly protruding stamens. 



Stamens. — Six, in two sets; filaments slightly united in 

 each set. 



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