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Golden fumewort

Corydalis aurea Willd. subsp. occidentalis (Engelm.) G.B. Ownbey

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Golden fumewort fruit
Golden fumewort
Golden fumewort
Golden fumewort
Golden fumewort

Morphology

Stem
Several, prostrate to ascending, simple or branched.
Leaves
Basal and/or cauline, alternate, usually 2-3-pinnately compound; petioles to 2.4 inches long, (short-petiolate distally); blades oblong to ovate, .8 to 4 inches long, pinnate with 5-13 segments that are pinnatifid; ultimate lobes elliptic, margins incised.
Inflorescence
Racemes, terminal, 10-20-flowered; bracts elliptic to linear, .16 to .4 inch long, .04 to .08 inch wide; pedicels .2 to .4 inch.
Flower
Flowers initially erect, later reflexed; sepals 2, ovate, .04 to .12 inch, tapering to points; petals 4, yellow, outer petals dissimilar, 1 spurred, 1 not spurred, both with abaxial median crest, inner petals similar, connate at apices, clawed; spurred petal .5 to .6 inch, spur straight or slightly incurved, .16 to .2 inch, tip nearly spherical; stamens 6.
Fruit
Capsules, erect to pendent, long-cylindric, .5 to .8 inch, glabrous; seeds black, reniform to nearly globose, ca. .08 inch, smooth or outer 1/3 reticulate; arillate.

Ecology

Habitat
Sandy mixed grass and shortgrass prairies, sandsage prairies, sandy roadsides
Distribution
Southwest quarter of Kansas

Additional Notes

Comments

Corydalis, crested lark, alluding to the resemblance between the spur and a lark's hind claw and aurea, golden.

Quick Facts
Plant Type
Wildflower
Family
Papaveraceae - Poppy Family
Life Span
Annual
Height
8-14 inches
Origin
Native
Last Updated
2018-02-24
Color Groups
Yellow Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Blooms: May, June