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Dicentra cucullaria, dutchman's
breeches, is one of the memorable natives encountered in our local
woods. This is an example of a plant which can on one year be very
visible, and yet on other years not much visible at all. The spray of
yellow-tipped flowers placed along the arched stem is very
characteristic. Each flower has two inflated spurs that suggest the
legs of tiny pantaloons, "ankles-up." Hence, the common
name, Dutchman's breeches. |
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The climbing fumitory, Adlumia fungosa,
has become an interesting escape in my own yard, because I kept
populations of it for chromosome study in the late 1980's. The leaf
anatomy is characteristic of the family, and the flower barely has a spur. |
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Corydalis flavula is common in the
Shenandoah valley along wooded riverbanks and slopes. |
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Corydalis sempervirens is a bit
more showy than flavula, above, with the pale pink flowers that have
yellow lips. There is a single bulbous spur. |
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This is Dicentra eximia in a native
situation. The flower is still quite exotic in appearance, and
showy, but clearly this native is not quite as sharply defined in flower
type as are the cultivated forms, which are popular. An example of
the flower of a cultivated form is shown in the lead picture above, as
well as to the left, bottom. |
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