Cardamine pratensis (Cuckoo flower)

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Cardamine pratensis L.

Cuckoo flower, lady’s smock, bitter cress

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Rosidae	Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order	Brassicales	Mustard, cabbage, caper, papaya, nasturtiums, many others; most produce mustard oil
Family	Brassicaceae	Mustards, cabbages
Genus	Cardamine	Bittercress (also called Dentaria)—from the Greek kardamon, an herb with pungent leaves
Species	pratensis	Growing in meadows

About plant names...

English herbalist John Gerard (1545-1612), in his nearly 1500-page book Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes, explained the rather curious common name “cuckoo flower” as follows: “These floure for the most part in Aprill and May, when the Cuckow begins to sing her pleasant notes without stammering.” (This was in the Bristish Isles.) Cuckoo flowers prefer disturbed rich, moist to wet, well-drained soils, in partial or deep shade. Habitats include floodplains, woods, swamps, fields, meadows, shores, grasslands and ditches.

Plants: Plants are 16-24" (40-60 cm) high.

Leaves: Pinnate, 1¾-4½" (5-12 cm) long, with leaflets about ⅜" (1 cm) in size. Leaves are alternate, sometimes toothed.

Flowers: In a spike at the top of the plant, 4-12" (10-30 cm) in height. Pale pink, white, or pale blue to purple. Each flower is ⅜-¾" (1-2 cm) in diameter, with four rounded petals and six stamens. Petals are typically notched in the middle.

Fruits: Fruits are slender and straight, ⅝-1¾" (1.6-5 cm) long.

Edibility: Leaves are edible, sometimes used in salads.

Online References:

The Missouri Botanical Garden

Minnesota Wildflowers

Gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org

Wikipedia

Www.first-nature.com

Michiganflora.net

5/4/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 9 × 6" (23 × 16 cm)

5/7/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 9 × 11" (21 × 27 cm)

5/4/2017 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4 × 4" (10 × 10 cm)

Cardamine pratensis description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 Aug 2021.

5/7/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 12 × 19" (31 × 48 cm)

5/18/2021 · Cathance River Nature Preserve, Topsham, Maine
≈ 2½ × 3" (7.2 × 7.8 cm)

5/7/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 6 × 5" (14 × 13 cm)

5/18/2021 · Cathance River Nature Preserve, Topsham, Maine
≈ 3½ × 3½" (8.9 × 9.5 cm)

5/4/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 11 × 7" (26 × 17 cm)

5/4/2017 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 4½" (11 × 11 cm)

5/7/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 29 × 25" (74 × 64 cm)

Range: Zones 3-7:

About this map...