Dicentra eximia

(Ker Gawler) Torrey

Fl. New York 1: 46. 1843.

Common names: Eastern bleeding-heart
Endemic
Basionym: Fumaria eximia Ker Gawler Bot. Reg. 1: plate 50. 1815
Synonyms: Bicuculla eximia (Ker Gawler) Millspaugh
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Plants perennial, scapose, from elongate, stout, scaly rhizomes. Leaves (10-)20-35(-55) × (5-)10-15(-30) cm; blade with 4 orders of leaflets and lobes; abaxial surface glaucous; penultimate lobes lanceolate to oblong or ovate, (6-)10-20(-35) × 2-5 mm. Inflorescences paniculate, 5-many-flowered, usually exceeding leaves, (20-)30-45(-65) cm; bracts lanceolate, 3-6(-11) × 1-2 mm, apex acuminate. Flowers pendent; sepals reniform, 2-5(-8) × 1.5-4 mm, apex acuminate; petals rose-purple to pink, rarely white; outer petals (15-)20-25(-30) × 2-5 mm, reflexed portion 4-8 mm; inner petals (15-)18-22(-25) mm, blade 2-4 mm, claw linear-lanceolate, 5-10(-14) × 1-2.5 mm, crest 1-3 mm diam., exceeding apex by 2-3 mm; filaments of each bundle connate at base and near apex, distinct in between, distinct portion of median filament forming loop that lies within base of outer petal; nectariferous tissue borne toward base of median filament; style 7-14 mm; stigma 2-horned. Capsules oblong to ovoid, (15-)18-22(-27) × ca. 4 mm. Seeds slightly reniform, ca. 2 mm diam., finely reticulate, elaiosome present. 2n = 16.


Phenology: Flowering mid spring–early fall.
Habitat: Dry to moist, rocky, mountain woods, often in rock crevices at cliff bases
Elevation: 100-1700 m

Distribution

V3 342-distribution-map.gif

Md., N.J., N.C., Pa., Tenn., Va., W.Va.

Discussion

The natural range of Dicentra eximia extends along the Appalachians from North Carolina and Tennessee to Maryland and Pennsylvania. It is frequently cultivated and sometimes escapes outside that area, but it evidently has not become truly naturalized beyond it. Such garden escapes, perhaps including misidentified plants of D. formosa, also widely cultivated, are almost surely the basis for reports of D. eximia from Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Connecticut, and Vermont.

Several patented hybrids between Dicentra eximia and D. formosa are sold in nurseries.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Dicentra eximia"
Kingsley R. Stern +
(Ker Gawler) Torrey +
Fumaria eximia +
Eastern bleeding-heart +
Md. +, N.J. +, N.C. +, Pa. +, Tenn. +, Va. +  and W.Va. +
100-1700 m +
Dry to moist, rocky, mountain woods, often in rock crevices at cliff bases +
Flowering mid spring–early fall. +
Fl. New York +
Bicuculla eximia +
Dicentra eximia +
Dicentra +
species +