Corydalis caseana

A. Gray

Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 10: 69. 1874.

Common names: Fitweed
IllustratedEndemic
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Plants perennial, glaucous, from large, fleshy roots. Stems 1-several, 10-15 dm or more. Leaves ca. 5, compound, to 10 dm; blade with 2-4 orders of leaflets and lobes; ultimate lobes of proximal cauline leaves narrowly to broadly elliptic, 1-5 cm, apiculate. Inflorescences paniculate, 50 or more flowers on primary-axis; bracts inconspicuous, linear or narrowly elliptic, rarely wider, proximal bracts ca. 10 mm, distal greatly reduced. Flowers ascending or spreading; pedicel 3-5 mm; sepals persistent, round and irregularly dentate to ovate, lunate, or attenuate-lanceolate with broad, sometimes lobed base, 2-3 mm; petals light pink to white, inner ones tipped reddish purple; spurred petal often incurved, 16-25 mm, spur tapered or not, 9-16 mm, apex obtuse, crest absent, inconspicuous, or extending into beak beyond petal apices, marginal wing narrow to broad, conspicuous; unspurred outer petal 10-15 mm; inner petals 7-12 mm, claw 3-5 mm; nectariferous spur 1/2-3/4 length of petal spur; style 3-4 mm; stigma roughly rectangular, with 8 papillae. Capsules reflexed, ellipsoid, 10-15 × ca. 3-5 mm. Seeds ca. 2.5 mm diam., with numerous minute protuberances.

Distribution

Calif., Colo., Idaho, N.Mex., Oreg., Utah

Discussion

Subspecies 5 (5 in the flora).

Significant livestock losses have been caused by ingestion of Corydalis caseana, which is palatable to both cattle and sheep, despite the toxicity.

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Outer petals with marginal wing narrow or absent, apex of unspurred outer petal acute; California. Corydalis caseana subsp. caseana
1 Outer petals with marginal wing moderately to highly developed, apex of unspurred outer petal not acute; other than California. > 2
2 Outer petals with marginal wing scarcely revolute, apex rounded, sometimes minutely apiculate or notched. > 3
2 Outer petals with marginal wing distinctly revolute, apex distinctly notched. > 4
3 Outer petals minutely apiculate; stems mostly 10–15 dm; Colorado and New Mexico. Corydalis caseana subsp. brandegei
3 Outer petals not minutely apiculate, occasionally minutely notched; stems mostly 4–10 dm; Utah. Corydalis caseana subsp. brachycarpa
4 Inflorescences profusely branching; outer petals with marginal wing moderately developed, minutely eroded; n Idaho. Corydalis caseana subsp. hastata
4 Inflorescences not profusely branching; outer petals with marginal wing highly developed, not minutely eroded; ne Oregon and s Idaho. Corydalis caseana subsp. cusickii

"wider" is not a number."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."thin" is not a number."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

... more about "Corydalis caseana"
Kingsley R. Stern +
A. Gray +
elliptic;linear +
inconspicuous +
adnate +  and connate +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
ellipsoid +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
Fitweed +
inconspicuous +
Calif. +, Colo. +, Idaho +, N.Mex. +, Oreg. +  and Utah +
spreading +  and ascending +
dehiscent +  and indehiscent +
cleistogamous-flowered +  and multifloral +
terminal +  and axillary +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
cauline +  and basal +
narrow +  and broad +
not spurred +  and spurred +
3 +, both +  and 1 +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
dissimilar +  and alike +
broadly ovoid;obovoid +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
light pink;white +
coherent +  and distinct +
1.6 cm16 mm <br />0.016 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
not spongy +
perpendicular +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (?) +
Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts +
reniform +  and subglobose +
persistent +
irregularly dentate +  and ovate lunate or attenuate-lanceolate +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +
W2 +, Illustrated +  and Endemic +
not +  and tapered +
0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br /> (1.6 cm16 mm <br />0.016 m <br />) +
branching +  and simple +
climbing +  and prostrate +
erect +  and prostrate +
1;several +
persistent +
rectangular +
thread-like +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (?) +
Corydalis caseana +
Corydalis +
species +