Dentaria
(from dens, a tooth; referring to the fanged roots). Toothwort. ORD. Cruciferae. A genus of very ornamental hardy herbaceous perennials. Radical leaves none or few, on long stalks; cauline ones stalked, placed on the middle of the stem, alternate or in whorls, palmately or pinnately cut. Stem erect, bearing the raceme at the top; pedicels filiform, bractless. Rootstocks creeping, scaly. They are of very simple culture in a rich, light soil, and a moist, shaded situation. Propagated by carefully-made divisions of the root; or by seed. There are about twenty species, all confined to North temperate regions.
D. bulbifera. (bulb-bearing). fl. purple, few, rather large. April. l., cauline ones alternate, pinnate; upper ones undivided, or with few segments, for the most part bearing bulbs in the axils. h. 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. Europe (England). (Sy. En. B. 107.)
D. digitata. (digitate).* fl. rich purple. May. l., cauline ones many, alternate, stalked, palmately cut into five oblong-lanceolate, pointed, grossly serrated segments. h. 1 1/2ft. South Europe, 1659. (L. B. C. 757.)
D. diphylla. (two-leaved).* fl. white on the inside, purple on the outside. May. l., cauline ones two, alternate, on short stalks, cut into three ovate-lanceolate, grossly and unequally serratelobed segments. h. 6in. to 1ft. North America, 1810. (B. M. 1465.)
D. glandulosa (glandular). fl. purplish. May. l. three in a whorl, stalked, ternate; segments oval-lanceolate, acuminated, serrated, bearing glands in the axils. h. 1ft. Hungary, 1815.
D. laciniata. (jagged). fl. rose-coloured, or almost white, large. April. l. three in a whorl, on short stalks, three-parted; lobes or segments linear, entire, or deeply serrated or jagged. h. 1ft. North America, 1823.
D. pinnata. (pinnate). fl. white, or pale purple, large. May. l., cauline ones alternate, stalked, pinnate; segments oblong, acuminated, serrate-toothed. h. 1ft. Switzerland, &c., 1683. (R. G. 623.)
D. polyphylla. (many-leaved).* fl. cream-coloured, large. May. l. three in a whorl, or alternate, stalked, pinnate; segments seven or nine, approximate, lanceolate, acuminated, serrated. h. 1ft. Hungary, 1817, (R. G. 171.)
D. tenella. (slender). fl. purple, about the size of those of Cardamine pratensis. April. l. two, alternate, sessile, cut into three linear-elliptical entire segments. h. 9in. North America, 1826.