Cardamine pratensis
 
Meadow Bitter Cress or Cuckoo Flower

Flower Side, Sepals and Petals Removed

Hudson Bay Regional Park
19-June-2014

Note there are two short stamens and four long stamens, which is characteristic of the Cruciferae family.

Pratensis: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 
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plants of northern bogs and springy places

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taller plants; NOT [dwarf plants, 3-10 cm tall]

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stem leaves deeply divided to pinnate; NOT [stem leaves entire or dentate, not lobed or divided]

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usually more flowers; NOT [flowers 1-5]

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flowers 15-25 mm across; NOT [flowers 3-10 mm across] (BF)

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petals 8-13 mm long; NOT [petals 1.5-4 mm long] (FOA)

 

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Cardamine Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 
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plants aquatic or of marshy habitats; NOT [plants of drier habitats]

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plants mostly glabrous; NOT [plants generally pubescent]

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leaves and stem with simple hairs (if any); NOT [leaves and stem usually with forked or starry hairs]

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petals white, pink-tinged, pink or purple; NOT [petals yellow]

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pods usually at least 4 times as long as wide; NOT [pods usually not more than 3 times as long as wide]

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pods linear; NOT [pods oblong to globular]

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pods straight; NOT [pods more or less falcate]

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pods not moniliform

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pods cylindric or 4-angled in cross section; NOT [pods flattened]

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pods not compressed at right angles to the central partition

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pods scarcely beaked; NOT [pods with a long, distinct beak]

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fruit dehiscent; NOT [fruit indehiscent]

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seeds uniseriate; NOT [seeds biseriate]

 

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Cruciferae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. 
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herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

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plants terrestrial or semiaquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]

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plants not with colored milky juice

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plants with more than one normal leaf

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some or all leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite, whorled, or basal]

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leaves without stipules, or having glands; NOT [leaves with stipules]

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flowers with two floral rings

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calyx regular; NOT [calyx irregular, some sepals smaller than others]

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sepals 4

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corolla regular in shape; NOT [corolla irregular in shape]

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each petal distinct from the others

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petals 4; NOT [petals 5]

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stamens usually 6, four long and two short; NOT [stamens 6, of equal length], NOT [stamens usually more than 10]

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ovary superior; NOT [ovary inferior]

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carpels 1 or 2; NOT [carpels 3-5]