Dutchman's breeches

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Dutchman's breeches leaf

Dutchman's breeches

Dutchman's breeches

Dutchman's breeches fruit

Dutchman's breeches

Dutchman's breeches inflorescence

Dutchman's breeches leaves

Dutchman's breeches leaf

Dutchman's breeches

Dutchman's breeches flowers

Dutchman's breeches

Dutchman's breeches

Morphology

Stem

Stemless. Leaves and flowering stalk arise from flattened, scaly bulbs about 2 inches beneath the surface.

Leaves

Basal, usually 2 per flowering stalk, erect to ascending, 4 to 12 inches long, glabrous; blades broadly triangular in outline, 3- or 4-pinnately-divided and again incised, 1.6 to 6 inches long, nearly as wide, ultimate segments narrowly elliptic or oblong to oblanceolate; margins entire; tips pointed or rounded; stalk 3-6 inches long, typically longer than blade.

Inflorescence

Raceme, 3- to 15-flowered, terminal on slender flowering stalk 4 to 10 inches long, arching, surpassing leaves.

Flower

Flattened, heart-shaped, 1/2 inch long, 3/4 inch wide; on stalks 1/8 to 2/5 inch long, initially ascending, later hanging down; sepals 2, small, triangular, whitish, sometimes streaked with purple; petals 4, white or pinkish, yellow or cream at summit, in 2 series; outer petals spurred, 2/4 to 3/5 inch long; spurs widely divergent, pouch-like, each enclosing 3 stamens; inner petals 1/3 to 1/2 inch long, united at tips.

Fruit

Capsule, spindle-shaped, 2/5 to 3/5 inch long, waxy; seeds several, egg-shaped, shiny black, rough.

Ecology

Habitat

Open, usually moist woods; rich soils.

Distribution

East 1/3 of Kansas.

Practical Information

Toxicity

Contains poisonous alkaloids. Toxic to cattle and sheep but rarely abundant enough to cause problems.

Uses

Native Americans used Dutchman's breeches as a love charm by throwing the plant at their intended or by chewing the root and breathing on the young lady that they were interested in. A compound infusion of the leaves was used as a liniment to strengthen the legs of runners.

Additional Notes