Cardamine maxima

(Nuttall) Alph. Wood

Amer. Bot. Fl., 38. 1870.

Basionym: Dentaria maxima Nuttall Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 2: 66. 1818
Synonyms: Cardamine anomala (Eames) K. Schumann Dentaria anomala Eames
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 7. Treatment on page 477. Mentioned on page 224, 466.

Perennials; glabrous (except leaflet margins and, sometimes, rachis). Rhizomes cylindrical, 3–6 mm diam., (distinctly constricted at intervals, non-uniform diam., fleshy, slightly fragile, with dentate leaf-scars). Stems erect, unbranched, 0.9–3 (–4) dm. Rhizomal leaves 3-foliolate, 7–20 cm, leaflets petiolulate or subsessile; petiole 4–15 cm; lateral leaflets subsessile or petiolulate, blade often similar to terminal, base often oblique; terminal leaflet (petiolule 0.2–1 (–1.7) cm), blade broadly ovate to oblong, 2–7.5 cm × 12–37 mm, base cuneate to obtuse, margins coarsely dentate to sharply incised, or deeply cleft into 2 or 3 lobes (lobes dentate or incised, margins puberulent). Cauline leaves 2 or 3, 3-foliolate, (rarely subopposite), petiolate, leaflets petiolulate or subsessile; petiole (0.5–) 1–4 (–6.5) cm, base not auriculate; lateral and terminal leaflets similar to rhizomal, distalmost sometimes much smaller. Racemes ebracteate. Fruiting pedicels: (flowering ones) horizontal to divaricate or deflexed, 7–20 mm. Flowers: sepals (erect to ascending), oblong, 5–7 × 2–3 mm, lateral pair slightly saccate basally; petals white or pink, oblanceolate, 10–17 × 3–6 mm, (not clawed, apex rounded); filaments: median pairs 4–8 mm, lateral pair 3–6.5 mm; anthers linear, 1.7–2.7 mm. Fruits (undeveloped), linear-lanceolate, to 3 cm × 2 mm; ovules 10–14 per ovary; style 3.5–7 mm. Seeds not known. 2n = 120, 124, 132, 138, 156, 161, ca. 208.


Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat: Rich woods, shady ravines, ledges, moist alluvial bottoms, steep forested slopes, stream banks

Distribution

V7 732-distribution-map.gif

N.B., Ont., Que., Conn., Maine, Mass., Mich., N.J., N.Y., Ohio, Pa., Vt.

Discussion

Cardamine maxima has not been found with mature fruits and seeds and it has long been suspected to be a hybrid between C. concatenata and C. diphylla. Molecular studies (P. W. Sweeney and R. A. Price 2000) indicate that C. maxima is distinct from both those species. Although we hesitate to maintain it as a species, its wide distribution and morphological distinctness warrant its recognition.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

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

... more about "Cardamine maxima"
208 +, 161 +, 156 +, 138 +, 132 +, 124 +  and 120 +
linear +, oblong +  and ovate +
0.17 cm1.7 mm <br />0.0017 m <br /> (0.27 cm2.7 mm <br />0.0027 m <br />) +
Ihsan A. Al-Shehbaz +, Karol Marhold +  and Judita Lihová +
(Nuttall) Alph. Wood +
not auriculate +, cuneate +  and obtuse +
Dentaria maxima +
appendaged +  and unappendaged +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (7.5 cm75 mm <br />0.075 m <br />) +
compound +  and trifoliolate +
lobed +, 1-3-pinnatisect +, toothed +  and entire +
broadly ovate;oblong +
much smaller +  and reduced +
1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> (3.7 cm37 mm <br />0.037 m <br />) +
urceolate +, campanulate +  and tubular +
branched +  and simple +
petiolate +  and 3-foliolate +
well-developed +
distinct +
differentiated +
emarginate +  and entire +
N.B. +, Ont. +, Que. +, Conn. +, Maine +, Mass. +, Mich. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, Ohio +, Pa. +  and Vt. +
straight +  and curved +
not winged +  and unappendaged +
connate +  and distinct +
lateral +  and median +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.65 cm6.5 mm <br />0.0065 m <br />) +
actinomorphic +
lilac;purple;lilac;purple;pink;white +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
ascending +, spreading +  and erect +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
latiseptate +  and unsegmented +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
linear-lanceolate +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (?) +
latiseptate +  and sessile +
torulose +, lanceolate +, oblong +  and linear +
Rich woods, shady ravines, ledges, moist alluvial bottoms, steep forested slopes, stream banks +
semiannular +  and annular +
petiolulate +  and subsessile +
compound +, pinnately +, trifoliolate +  and simple +
alternate +, not +  and rosulate +
basal +  and cauline +
subsessile +  and petiolulate +
connate +  and distinct +
decurrent +
coarsely dentate;sharply incised or deeply cleft +
tenuinucellate +, crassinucellate +  and bitegmic +
campylotropous +  and anatropous +
deflexed;horizontal +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
pink +  and white +
10mm;17mm +
rudimentary +
oblanceolate +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (6.5 cm65 mm <br />0.065 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.7 cm17 mm <br />0.017 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
Flowering Apr–Jun. +
trinucleate +  and 3(-11)-colpate +
Amer. Bot. Fl., +
reflexed +, ascending +  and erect +
stout +  and slender +
flattened +
7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br /> (20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
cylindrical +
not +  and mucilaginous +
winged +  and margined +
uniseriate +  and biseriate +
not +  and mucilaginous +
white +, black +, brown +  and yellow +
globose +, ovoid +, oblong +  and flattened +
persistent +  and caducous +
distinct +
erect +  and spreading or ascending +
reduced +
latiseptate +  and unsegmented +
angustiseptate +, 4-angled +  and terete +
latiseptate +  and unsegmented +
angustiseptate +, 4-angled +  and terete +
tetradynamous +
procumbent +  and decumbent +
prostrate +  and decumbent +
2-lobed +, entire +, conical +  and capitate +
subsessile +, sessile +  and petiolate +
persistent +
distinct +
0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
Cardamine anomala +  and Dentaria anomala +
Cardamine maxima +
Cardamine +
species +
scale-like +  and forked +
pubescent +, , +  and glabrous +
anastomosing +
rhizomatous +, taprooted +, scapose +  and not +
perennial +, biennial +  and annual +
subshrub +  and herb +
aquatics +  and terrestrial +
glabrous +  and pubescent +