lundi 3 décembre 2007

Cardamine raphanifolia

Cardamine (Car-dá-mi-ne, Bittercress or Bitter-cress), is a large genus in the family Brassicaceae. It contains more than 150 species of annuals and perennials. The genus grows worldwide in diverse habitats, except in the Antarctic. Genus Dentaria is a synonym for Cardamine.

The leaves can have different forms, going from minute to medium-sized. They can be pinnate or bipinnate. They are basal and cauline (growing on the upper part of the stem), with narrow tips. They are rosulate (forming a rosette). The blade margins can be entire, serrate or dentate. The stem internodes lack firmness.

The radially symmetrical flowers grow in a racemose many-flowered inflorescence or in corymbs. The white, pink or purple flowers are minute to medium-sized. The petals are longer than the sepals. The fertile flowers are hermaphroditic.

The fruits are long, thin pods with many (20-100) seeds.

Some plants were reputed to have medicinal qualities (treatment of heart or stomach ailments).

The name Cardamine is derived from the Greek word kardamon, referring to a Persian or Indian herb with pungent leaves.

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Brassicales
Family: Brassicaceae
Genus: Cardamine L.

1 commentaire:

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