Dicentra

Dicentra
Dicentra cucullaria (type species)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Ranunculales
Family:	Fumariaceae
Genus:	Dicentra Bernh.
Species
See text.
Synonyms
Diclytra Borkh. nom. rej.[1] Dielytra = orthographic variant of Diclytra[1] Possible synonyms:[2] Lamprocapnos Endl. Ehrendorferia Fukuhara & Lidén Ichtyoselmis Lidén & Fukuhara

Dicentra (bleeding-heart; Greek dís "twice", kéntron "spur") is a genus of 8 species of perennial herbaceous plants in the fumitory family, many with heart-shaped flowers, native to eastern Asia and North America.

Description

Flowers have two tiny sepals and four petals. The petals are bisymmetric: the two outer ones are spurred or pouched at the base and curved outwards or backwards at the tip, and the two inner ones are straight and connected at the tip.

In Dicentra, all leaves are in a basal rosette and flowers are on leafless stalks. In other genera with bisymmetric heart-shaped flowers (Lamprocapnos, Dactylicapnos, Ichtyoselmis, Ehrendorferia), leaves grow on flower stalks as well as from the base.

Each of the two compound stamens is composed of four stamens fused together. The stamens and pistil are held between the inner petals.

Seeds with elaiosomes are borne in long pods.

All parts are poisonous if ingested.

Species

• Dicentra canadensis (Goldie) Walp.
  Squirrel-corn
• Dicentra cucullaria (L.) Bernh.
  Dutchman's-breeches
• Dicentra eximia (Ker-Gawl.) Torr.
  Fringed Bleeding Heart, Turkey-corn
• Dicentra formosa (Haw.) Walp.
  Western or Pacific Bleeding Heart
  • Dicentra formosa subsp. formosa
  • Dicentra formosa subsp. oregana
• Dicentra nevadensis Eastw.
  Sierran Bleedinghearts
• Dicentra pauciflora S. Wats.
  Short-horn Steer's-head
• Dicentra peregrina (Rudolphi) Makino
  Komakusa
• Dicentra uniflora Kellogg
  Long-horn Steer's-head

Dicentra lachenaliaeflora Ledeb.

= Dicentra peregrina

Dicentra pusilla Siebold & Zucc.

= Dicentra peregrina

Dicentra oregana Eastw.

= Dicentra formosa subsp. oregana

Hybrids and cultivars

There are several hybrids and cultivars involving Dicentra eximia, Dicentra formosa, and Dicentra peregrina, including:

• Dicentra 'Aurora' — Dicentra formosa × Dicentra eximia — white flowers
• Dicentra 'Bacchanal' — Dicentra formosa cultivar — deep red
• Dicentra 'Ivory Hearts' — Dicentra peregrina × Dicentra eximia 'Alba' — white
• Dicentra 'King of Hearts' — Dicentra peregrina × (Dicentra formosa subsp. oregana × Dicentra eximia)
• Dicentra 'Luxuriant' — Dicentra eximia × Dicentra peregrina

Hybrids involving Dicentra peregrina are often intolerant of hot-humid climates and sun like the species itself.

Former species

17 species in 4 genera were formerly included in "Dicentra":^{[clarification needed]}

Dactylicapnos Wall. (13 species of herbaceous climbers with yellow flowers, Himalaya to SW China)

• Dactylicapnos burmanica (K.R.Stern) Lidén
• Dactylicapnos grandifoliolata Merrill (Dicentra paucinervia K.R.Stern)
• Dactylicapnos lichiangensis (Fedde) Hand.-Mazz.
• Dactylicapnos macrocapnos (Prain) Hutchinson
• Dactylicapnos roylei (Hook.f. & Th.) Hutchinson
• Dactylicapnos scandens (D.Don) Hutchinson
• Dactylicapnos schneideri (Fedde) Lidén
• Dactylicapnos thalictrifolia Wallich
• Dactylicapnos torulosa (Hook.f. & Th.) Hutchinson (Dicentra wolfdietheri Fedde)
• Dactylicapnos ventii (Khanh) Lidén

Lamprocapnos Endlicher (1 species of leafy herb with large pink flowers in horizontal racemes, NE China, Korea)

• Lamprocapnos spectabilis (L.) Fukuhara Old-fashioned Bleeding-heart = Dicentra spectabilis Lem.

Ehrendorferia Lidén (2 species of erect robust leafy herbs with yellow or cream erect flowers, Western N America)

• Ehrendorferia ochroleuca (Engelm.) Lidén = Dicentra ochroleuca Engelm.
• Ehrendorferia chrysantha (Hook. & Arn.) Lidén. Golden Ear-drops = Dicentra chrysantha Hook. & Arn.

Ichtyoselmis Lidén (1 species of large leafy herb with serrate leaflets and large drooping cream flowers, China, Burma)

• Ichtyoselmis macrantha (Oliver) Lidén

Gallery

• 

  Squirrel-corn (Dicentra canadensis)

• 

  Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)

• 

  Turkey-corn (Dicentra eximia)

• 

  Pacific Bleeding-heart (Dicentra formosa)

• 

  Few-flowered Bleeding-heart (Dicentra pauciflora)

• 

  Komakusa (Dicentra peregrina)

• 

  Steer's-head (Dicentra uniflora)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} International Plant Names Index
2. ^ GRIN taxonomy

• Bleeding hearts, Corydalis, and their relatives. Mark Tebbitt, Magnus Lidén, and Henrik Zetterlund. Timber Press. 2008. — Google Books

External links

• List of species by Markku Savela
• About.com
• Flora of North America