Dicentra
Dicentra
Genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae
Dicentra (Greek dís "twice", kéntron "spur"),[3] known as bleeding-hearts, is a genus of eight species of herbaceous plants with oddly shaped flowers and finely divided leaves, native to eastern Asia and North America.
| Dicentra | |
|---|---|
| Dicentra cucullaria (type species) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Papaveraceae |
| Subfamily: | Fumarioideae |
| Tribe: | Fumarieae |
| Subtribe: | Corydalinae |
| Genus: | Dicentra Bernh. |
| Species | |
|
8 (see below) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Possible synonyms:[2]
| |
Flowers have two tiny sepals and four petals. The flowers are bisymmetric: the two outer petals are spurred or pouched at the base and curved outwards or backwards at the tip, and the two inner ones with or without a crest 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 stems as well as from the root.[4] Each of the two compound stamens is composed of one median and two lateral half stamens fused together. The stamens and pistil are held between the inner petals. Native to Northeastern Asia's chilly, wet forests, bleeding heart flowers grow in dappled shade, whereas if grown in poorly drained soil and intense shadows they will not bloom or survive.[5]
Seeds with elaiosomes are borne in long capsules.
All parts are poisonous if ingested.
Current species
The genus Dicentra includes plants whose flowers and leaves grow on stems directly from the roots. Species with branching stems used to be included in the genus, but have now been moved to other genera.[4]
| Image | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dicentra canadensis (Goldie) Walp. | squirrel-corn | eastern North America | |
| Dicentra cucullaria (L.) Bernh. | Dutchman's-breeches | eastern North America, with a disjunct population in the Columbia Basin | |
| Dicentra eximia (Ker-Gawl.) Torr. | fringed bleeding-heart, turkey-corn | Appalachian Mountains | |
| Dicentra formosa (Haw.) Walp. | western or Pacific bleeding-heart | Pacific Coast of North America | |
| Dicentra nevadensis Eastw. | Sierra bleeding-heart | Sierra Nevada peaks of Tulare and Fresno Counties, endemic to central eastern California | |
| Dicentra pauciflora S. Wats. | short-horn steer's-head | Oregon and California | |
| Dicentra peregrina (Rudolphi) Makino | komakusa | Japan, the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin Island, and northeastern Siberia | |
| Dicentra uniflora Kellogg | long-horn steer's-head | western United States | |
Former species
The genera Dactylicapnos, Ichtyoselmis, Ehrendorferia and Lamprocapnos were previously included as subgenera in Dicentra, but have been shown not to belong in this genus (see for example Flora of China)
- Dactylicapnos Wall. (14 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 gaoligongshanensis Lidén
- Dactylicapnos torulosa (Hook.f. & Th.) Hutchinson (Dicentra wolfdietheri Fedde)
- Dactylicapnos cordata Lidén
- Ehrendorferia Lidén (2 species of erect robust herbaceous perennials 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 herbaceous perennial with serrate leaflets and large drooping cream flowers, China, Burma)
- Ichtyoselmis macrantha (Oliver) Lidén
- Lamprocapnos Endlicher (1 species of herbaceous perennial with large pink flowers in horizontal racemes, NE China, Korea)
- Lamprocapnos spectabilis (L.) Fukuhara bleeding heart=Dicentra spectabilis Lem.
There are several hybrids and cultivars involving Dicentra eximia, Dicentra formosa, and Dicentra peregrina, including (those marked agm have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit):-[6]
- Dicentra 'Aurora' — Dicentra formosa × Dicentra eximia — white flowers
- D. formosa 'Bacchanal' (agm)[7] — deep red
- Dicentra 'Ivory Hearts' — Dicentra peregrina × Dicentra eximia 'Alba' — white
- Dicentra 'King of Hearts' — Dicentra peregrina × (Dicentra formosa subsp. oregana × Dicentra eximia)
- D. formosa 'Langtrees' (agm)[8]
- Dicentra 'Luxuriant' (agm)[9] — Dicentra formosa × Dicentra eximia × Dicentra peregrina
- Dicentra 'Stuart Boothman' (agm)[10]
Hybrids involving Dicentra peregrina are often intolerant of hot, humid climates and sun, like the species itself.
- "GRIN taxonomy". Archived from the original on 2009-05-06. Retrieved 2010-01-13.
- Tebbitt, Mark; Lidén, Magnus; Zetterlund, Henrik (2008). Bleeding hearts, Corydalis, and their relatives. Timber Press. pp. 56–58. ISBN 9780881928822.
- Laurie Hodges (2012). "Bleeding Heart: A Review for Growers". HorTechnology. 22 (4): 517–522. doi:10.21273/HORTTECH.22.4.517. S2CID 87279067.
- "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 32. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- "RHS Plantfinder - Dicentra formosa 'Bacchanal'". Retrieved 12 February 2018.
- "RHS Plantfinder - Dicentra formosa 'Langtrees'". Retrieved 12 February 2018.
- "RHS Plantfinder - Dicentra 'Luxuriant'". Retrieved 12 February 2018.
- "RHS Plantfinder - Dicentra 'Stuart Boothman'". Retrieved 12 February 2018.