Flora of East-Central Indiana

Dutchman's Breeches
Scientific Name Dicentra cucullaria  (L.) Bernh.
Family Name Fumariaceae (Fumitory Family)

 

Characteristics
Habitat: rich woods
Plant Height: 10-30 cm
Flower Color: white
Flower: complete; perfect; outer 2 petals with extended saccate bases, connate, with reflexed apical lobes,  yellow at the base (throat of the corolla); stamens 6, erect; ovary superior, unilocular, tapering to a short style; sepals 4, in two pairs, decussate; flower 'V' shaped
Inflorescence: terminal raceme, arising from bulb; glabrous
Fruit: capsular
Leaves: basal, long-petiolate, trifoliolate; leaflets petiolulate, pinnately divided 
Bloom Time: early April - May
Origins: native
Other: similar species D. canadensis; both species are poisonous to grazing cattle
dicentra_cucullaria_habit.jpg (56885 bytes) dicentra_cucullaria_flhead.jpg (35441 bytes)

dicentra_cucullaria_form.jpg (36167 bytes)

 dicentra_cucullaria_fltip.jpg (21298 bytes) dicentra_cucullaria_flopen.jpg (22504 bytes) dicentra_cucullaria_leaves.jpg (66166 bytes)
general habit inflorescence form close up of flower leaves

Native Wildflowers ● Trees, Shrubs&Vines ● Ferns ● Grasses&Allies ● Non-Native Species ●  ECI Flora Home

information provided by

FSEEC
Field Station and
Environmental Education Center
Ball State University, Muncie, IN



comments to:
hbrown@bsu.edu