Corydalis nobilis
Encyclopedia
Corydalis nobilis is a winter annual native to Siberia
and Kazakhistan. It was introduced to Europe by Linnaeus, who had asked his friend Erich Laxmann for seeds of Lamprocapnos spectabilis (old-fashioned bleeding heart), but was sent seeds of C. nobilis instead. Both Lamprocampnos and Corydalis
are members of the Fumariaceae
family, with seeds having an attached elaiosome
that makes them attractive to ants, which disperse the seeds.
but sometimes simple.
Its flowers are yellow or orange; inner petals have dark violet at the top. The individual flowers resemble small snapdragon
s.
The seeds of C. nobilis typically have elaiosomes (a fatty body attached to the seed but not part of it, which can be eaten by ants without harming the seed within.) Seeds of C. nobilis are dispersed by ants, who carry seeds away to feed on the elaiosomes. Myrmecochory
(seed dispersal by ants) is also observed in other Fumariaceae and has evolved independently in many other plant genera as well.
family, C. nobilis. The seeds were sent to Linnaeus by his friend Erich Laxmann; they originated from a Siberian mountaintop in the northwestern Altai Range. They had not previously been known in Europe.
Seeds of C. nobilis spread throughout Europe from Linnaeus's garden in Hammarby
, reaching England's Kew Gardens in 1783. After the death of Linnaeus, C. nobilis self-seeded throughout his garden, becoming a weed.
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
and Kazakhistan. It was introduced to Europe by Linnaeus, who had asked his friend Erich Laxmann for seeds of Lamprocapnos spectabilis (old-fashioned bleeding heart), but was sent seeds of C. nobilis instead. Both Lamprocampnos and Corydalis
Corydalis
Corydalis is a genus of about 470 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants in the fumewort family , native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere and the high mountains of tropical eastern Africa...
are members of the Fumariaceae
Fumariaceae
Fumariaceae is a family of about 575 species of herbaceous plants in 20 genera, native to the Northern Hemisphere and South Africa.-Flower shape:Plants in the fumitory family are easily recognised by their peculiar flowers with two dissimilar pairs of...
family, with seeds having an attached elaiosome
Elaiosome
Elaiosomes are fleshy structures that are attached to the seeds of many plant species. The elaiosome is rich in lipids and proteins, and may be variously shaped. Many plants have elaiosomes to attract ants, which take the seed to their nest and feed the elaiosome to their larvae...
that makes them attractive to ants, which disperse the seeds.
Description
C. nobilis bears its compact cymose inflorescence on a stem that can be as tall as 50 cm. The stem may be upright, prostrate or climbing. Leaves are most often compound and pinnatePinnate
Pinnate is a term used to describe feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis in plant or animal structures, and comes from the Latin word pinna meaning "feather", "wing", or "fin". A similar term is pectinate, which refers to a comb-like arrangement of parts...
but sometimes simple.
Its flowers are yellow or orange; inner petals have dark violet at the top. The individual flowers resemble small snapdragon
SnapDragon
SnapDragon is a contemporary jazz band based in San Antonio, Texas. The group released their debut CD, "Stealing a Moment" on Humbug Records in 2008, and the 10-song CD soon broke the Top 100 in U.S radio airplay...
s.
The seeds of C. nobilis typically have elaiosomes (a fatty body attached to the seed but not part of it, which can be eaten by ants without harming the seed within.) Seeds of C. nobilis are dispersed by ants, who carry seeds away to feed on the elaiosomes. Myrmecochory
Myrmecochory
Myrmecochory is seed dispersal by ants, an ecologically significant ant-plant interaction with worldwide distribution. Myrmecochorous plants produce seeds with elaiosomes, a term encompassing various external appendages or "food bodies" rich in lipids, amino acid, or other nutrients that are...
(seed dispersal by ants) is also observed in other Fumariaceae and has evolved independently in many other plant genera as well.
Distribution
C. nobilis, first described based on seeds sent to Linnaeus from Siberia, is now widely dispersed throughout the world as an ornamental plant. It prefers moist soil to dry soil, and does well in full sun or partial shade. It is not winter-hardy below –5° F.Association with Linnaeus
Linnaeus had seen a drawing of Lamprocapnos spectabilis (old-fashioned bleeding heart) in the thesis of a Russian student who was describing many Siberian plants. He longed to see a living specimen of this flower for himself. In 1765, he was delighted to receive seeds from Siberia that he thought would grow into bleeding heart plants, but the seeds were instead for a different member of the FumariaceaeFumariaceae
Fumariaceae is a family of about 575 species of herbaceous plants in 20 genera, native to the Northern Hemisphere and South Africa.-Flower shape:Plants in the fumitory family are easily recognised by their peculiar flowers with two dissimilar pairs of...
family, C. nobilis. The seeds were sent to Linnaeus by his friend Erich Laxmann; they originated from a Siberian mountaintop in the northwestern Altai Range. They had not previously been known in Europe.
Seeds of C. nobilis spread throughout Europe from Linnaeus's garden in Hammarby
Linnaeus Hammarby
Linnaeus Hammarby is one of three botanical gardens belonging to Uppsala University in Sweden. It was the former summer home of Carolus Linnaeus and his family.-See also:...
, reaching England's Kew Gardens in 1783. After the death of Linnaeus, C. nobilis self-seeded throughout his garden, becoming a weed.