Corydalis - Corydalis

A biennial plant of the Papaveraceae family (APG classification: Papaveraceae). It grows to about 40 cm tall. The whole plant is soft, hairless, powdery white, and gives off an odor when bruised. The leaves are alternate, 3-4 times trilobed, compound, and the leaflets are ovate and notched. In April and May, racemes are produced and many yellow flowers bloom. The flowers are 1.5-2.0 cm long and have two sepals. There are four petals, the outer two of which are large, one of which has a spur. There are six stamens, one pistil, and one chambered ovary. The capsule is lanceolate, with small black seeds lined inside. It is commonly found in the lowlands from Kanto to Kyushu. The genus Corydalis has about 450 species distributed in Eurasia and North America. Although closely related to the Dicentra genus, Corydalis has flowers with only one swollen outer petal and a spur, and is therefore distinct from Dicentra, which has flowers with swollen outer petals on both sides.

[Susumu Terabayashi February 17, 2020]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ケシ科（APG分類：ケシ科）の越年草。高さ40センチメートル前後。全草は柔らかく、無毛、粉白色を帯び、傷つけると臭気を放つ。葉は互生、3～4回3出羽状複葉、小葉は卵形で欠刻する。4～5月、総状花序を出し、多数の黄色の花を開く。花は長さ1.5～2.0センチメートル、萼片(がくへん)は2枚。花弁は4枚で、外側の2枚は大きく、うち1枚には距(きょ)がある。雄しべは6本。雌しべは1本、子房は1室。蒴果(さくか)は披針(ひしん)形で中に黒くて小さな種子が並ぶ。関東から九州の低地に普通にみられる。キケマン属はユーラシア、北アメリカに約450種分布する。コマクサ属と近縁であるが、キケマン属は外側の花弁の一方にだけ膨らみ、また距があるので、外側の花弁の両方に膨らみをもつコマクサ属と区別される。

［寺林　進　2020年2月17日］

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