FUMITORY FAMILY 



Flower of DwmLra cucuUaria 

 slightly enlarged 



Stamens. — In two sets of three each, slightly united by their filaments. 

 Ovary. — One-celled; style slender; stigma two-crested. 

 Pod. — Ten to twenty-seeded. 



The two Dicentras, canadensis and cucul- 

 laria, are the Dromios of the wild wood — • 

 they appear, "not one without the other." 

 As a rule one species is most abundant 

 in a ^ven locality, but the other is to be 

 found' near by in lesser nurribers. The 

 foliage of both is the same grayish-green, 

 dainty and delicate; the flowers alike in 

 general form, differing only in slight de- 

 tail; the general effect of the plants charm- 

 ing to a degree. They can easily be distinguished by root and 

 by flower. The roots of cucuUaria are a collection of small, 

 solid tubers enclosed in a common scaly sheath; that of cana- 

 densis round, scattered, yellow tubers, the si^e of peas. The 

 flower of oucullWfia has a corolla 

 with two divergent spurs longer 

 than the pedicel; the crest of the 

 inner petals minute. The flower 

 of canadensis is merely heart- 

 shaped, the. spurs very short and 

 rounded, the crest of the inner pet- 

 als conspicuously projecting. The 

 flowers of cucuUaria are white 

 tipped with cream, those of cana- 

 densis white tinged sometimes with 

 rose, more or less fragrant. Both 

 succeed in cultivation. 



Two other native Dicentras are 

 in cultivation which very greatly resemble each other, and con- 

 cerning which the books give confused reports. 



Dicentra eximia is a rare species of the AUeghanies found in 

 New York and southward as far as Georgia. Its leaves are simi- 



206 



Dkinlra eximia 



