364 THE KINDS OF PLANTS 



1. DICENTRA. 



Low, acaulescent perennials, among the earliest and most delicate of 

 spring flowers: leaves compound in 3's, finely dissected (lace-like), on 

 tender pinkish petioles from the roots: the racemose, nodding flowers borne 

 on leafless, flesh-colored scapes; pedicels 2-bracted; corolla peculiarly 

 irregular — 4 petals in 2 pairs, the 2 outer spurred at base, somewhat united 

 to form a 2-spurred corolla, the inner pair of petals spoon-shaped, crested, 

 meeting over the pistil and stamens; stamens 6, in two sets, opposite the 

 outer petals. 



D. Cucullaria, Bernh. Dutchman's breeches. Leaves from a cluster of 

 little pinkish tubers, forming a bulb: flowers with straight spurs, longer 

 than pedicel, and diverging, mostly creamy with yellow tips to petals, not 

 fragrant. 



D. canadensis, Walp. Squirrel corn. Similar to the preceding, but 

 leaves usually glaucous: root-tubers yellow, resembling grains of Indian 

 corn: flowers differing in shape from D. Cucullaria in being more elongated, 

 spurs short and rounded, and the crests of the inner 2 petals prominent: 

 fragrant. Blooms a little later than preceding, but found in same 

 situations. 



D. spectabilis, DC. Bleeding-heart. A smooth, leafy-stemmed plant of 

 many gardens; stems much branching; leaves large, twice ternately com- 

 pound: flowers many and showy in long racemes drooping from the curv- 

 ing stems, heart-shaped, bright rose or pink; no sepals when in full flower. 

 Siberia. 



2. CORtfDALIS. 



Biennial or perennial herbs with leafy stems, pale or glaucous: leaves 

 much divided or decompound: flowers small, in racemes; corolla 4-petaled, 

 irregular; one of the outer pair of petals spurred at the base, all erect and 

 somewhat united. 



C. sempervirens, Pers. Stem slender, erect, 6 in. to 2 ft. : leaves small, ses- 

 sile above, all finely dissected: flowers horizontal in terminal racemes; spurs 

 short and blunt; corolla rosy, yellow-tipped; outer petals sharp-pointed: pods 

 erect, slender. May to June. 



C. aurea, Willd. Low, diffuse or spreading: flowers yellow, X A in. long; 

 outer petals keeled, not crested; spur shorter than pedicel { l /i in.), decurved: 

 pods hanging or spreading, knotty. March to May. 



3. FUMARIA. Fumitory. 



Annuals, branched and leafy-stemmed : leaves compound, finely dissected: 

 flowers small, in dense racemes or spikes; petals 4, unequal, 1-spurred at 

 base; stamens 6, diadelphous: fruit small, globular, 1-seeded, indehiscent, 

 the style falling. 



F. officinalis, Linn. Low, much branched, erect to 1 ft., glabrous: flowers 

 purple-tipped, pinkish, minute, in loose spikes; sepals acute, sharply toothed, 

 shorter than corolla. Waste places. Summer. Introduced. 



