Cut-Leaved Toothwort

Cut-Leaved Toothwort
Dentaria concatenata

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Toothwort is another very early riser, a few already emerged by late February. Growing 6 inches high, there are usually two leafstalks. The leaves are divided into threes and all have a jagged edge to one degree or another. The flowers grow in a small cluster at the top of a short stalk, are about 1/2 inch long, white to pale pink, 4-petaled and somewhat bell-like. They'll begin to appear in mid-March. Toothworts are a complicated bunch. There are several species growing in our area, they all look very similar and are difficult to tell apart. The one here is Cut-Leaved Toothwort, Dentaria concatenata, a true spring ephemeral in that the plant will reabsorb its leaves before summer. In this area you may also find Dentaria diphylla.

A note on the nomenclature (naming conventions) on this site: Scientific names and classifications are constantly being argued and changed, and it drives me nuts. Although I use many different sources for knowledge, for naming consistency I use the "Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas" by Radford, Ahles and Bell, 1968 edition. This book is a well-established authority for the plants of our region and I've been using it for years. If for some reason I must use a different source for a particular plant, I will make note of it within the descriptive text. Don't like it? Tough!

fdudley@weaversites.com

Fiona Dudley
Weaversites
986 Reems Creek Road
Weaverville NC 28787

828-231-1501