Species: Cardamine pratensis L.

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Cardamine pratensis L.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Brassicaceae

Genus:

Cardamine

Species Synonyms:

none

Common Names:

cuckoo flower
meadow bitter cress
cuckoo bitter cress

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

Yukon Territory - Mackenzie District (Northwest Territories) - Ellesmere Island - Labrador, south to central Alberta - central Saskatchewan - Ontario to eastern Quebec, Newfoundland

Saskatchewan:

central and northern Saskatchewan; Hasbala Lake to Pike Lake

Ecoregion:

Moist Mixed Grassland, Boreal Transition, Mid-Boreal Lowland, Tazin Lake Upland, Selwyn Lake Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

muskegs and peaty shores

Associated species:

Carex sp., Larix laricina

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Cardamine pratensis is threatened in Saskatchewan because it is uncommon and population sizes vary from large to small. No immediate threats are known but may occur in the future.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

10 – 50 cm

Roots:

roots fibrous; rhizome short

Stems:

erect, slender

Leaves:

basal and cauline; basal leaves petiolate, 5 – 10 cm long, to 8 mm wide, pinnately compound; cauline leaves alternate, sessile to petiolate, 2 – 4 cm long, to 5 m wide,

Leaflets:

basal 11 – 15, oval to orbicular, terminal leaflet not considerably larger, margin entire to obscurely toothed; cauline 11 – 15, elliptic, terminal leaflet not considerably larger than lateral, margin entire to obscurely toothed

Inflorescence:

raceme

Flowers:

15 – 25 mm broad; calyx distinct, ovate; corolla 8 – 13 mm long, pink or rarely white

Fruits:

silique ascending, 1 – 2 cm long, to 1 mm wide, purplish; beaks 1 – 2 mm long

CARDAMINE KEY IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Flowers 15 – 25 mm broad; corolla generally pink, rarely white	C. pratensis
1 Flowers 3 – 10 mm broad; corolla white	2

2 Stems pubescent at base; cauline leaves 4 – 8 cm long; leaflets broad, decurrent on rachis, terminal leaflets obovate	C. pensylvanica
2 Stems glabrous throughout; cauline leaves 2 – 4 cm long; leaflets narrow, not decurrent on rachis, terminal leaflet linear-oblanceolate	C. parviflora var. arenicola