Corydalis Cava

''Corydalis cava'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae, native to moist, shady, woodland habitats throughout most of mainland Europe, although commonest in central and southeast Europe.
Its range extends from Spain in the west to Ukraine, Belarus and the Caucasus in the east and as far north as Sweden. It is absent from (though may sometimes be found in a naturalised state in) Iceland, the UK, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Russia and Greece.

Description

''Corydalis cava'' grows to tall. It is a spring ephemeral—foliage that grows in the spring dies down to its tuberous rootstock in summer. It has long-spurred flowers which appear in spring. The flowers may be mauve, purple, red, or white.

The seeds contain an elaiosome that attracts ants, which transport the seeds into their ant colony. This seed transportation is called myrmecochory.

Toxicity

Many of the species in ''Corydalis'' contain alkaloids such as canadine and corydaline, which blocks calcium. The majority of these belong to the isoquinoline alkaloid group. All parts of the plant are alkaloidal but the highest concentrations are present in the hollow root tuber.

''Corydalis cava'' and some other tuberous species contain the alkaloid bulbocapnine, which is occasionally used in medicine but for which scientific evidence is lacking in regard to correct dosage and side effects.

Gallery

File:Dymnivka dutá Podkomorské lesy.JPG, Young shoot pushing up through leaf litter. Přírodní park, Podkomorské forest, South Moravia, Czech Republic.
File:20150322Corydalis cava3.jpg, Developing inflorescence. Lower Lußhart near Neulußheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
File:Corydalis cava Bulb.jpg, Mature specimen from a wood in Vicenza (Veneto, Italy) uprooted at flowering time to show large, hollow tuber.
File:Corydalis cava illustration (03).jpg, Dutch coloured plate showing anatomical detail (under original Linnaean name ''Fumaria bulbosa'' i.e. "bulbous fumitory").
File:Corydalis cava PID770-1.jpg, Hollow tuber bisected to show central void. Forest floor, Rak Škocjan Landscape park, Slovenia.
File:Corydalis cava root tuber (01).jpg, Ants gathered in the void in an exposed tuber, seemingly as attracted by odour of tuber as by that of seed elaiosome.
File:Corydalis cava plant (16).jpg, Specimen of white-flowered form blooming among ivy leaves.
File:Odvas keltike (Corydalis cava).JPG, Dense carpet of flowering plants (both pink and white-flowered forms) on forest floor.
File:Corydalis cava plant (19).JPG, Flowering plants thriving in damp conditions on a stream bank.
File:Corydalis cava MichaD 2.jpg, Comparison of inflorescences of pink-flowered and white-flowered forms. Rosenfeld, Baden-Württemberg, southern Germany.
File:CorydalisSolida+Cava.jpg, Comparison of inflorescences of ''Corydalis cava'' (right, with simple bracts) and the closely related ''C. solida'' (left, with digitate bracts).
File:Corydalis cava inflorescence (32).jpg, Inflorescence of pink-flowered form, back-lit by bright sunlight, silhouetting structures within flower spurs.
File:Corydalis cava 01.jpg, Inflorescence of white-flowered form, back-lit by bright sunlight.
File:Corydalis cava inflorescence (18).jpg, Front-lit inflorescence of white-flowered form.
File:Corydalis cava inflorescence (36).jpg , Front view of individual flower of white-flowered form.
File:Corydalis cava flowers.JPG, Front view of individual flowers of wild plant, Alte aare nr. Aarberg, Switzerland.
File:Corydalis cava MichaD 1.jpg, Back-lit inflorescence, showing clearly striated venation of bracts.
File:Corydalis cava inflorescence (20).jpg, Close-up of flowers of pale pink form in profile.
File:Corydalis cava fg01.jpg, Side view of flower showing hole chewed in nectary by nectar-stealing insect. Selzerbrunnen, Frankfurt, Germany.
File:Corydalis cava MichaD 3.jpg, Central structure of interior of single flower. Rosenfeld, Baden-Württemberg southern Germany.
File:Corydalis cava blatt.jpeg, Leaves of specimen growing at Pölchow nr. Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
File:Corydalis cava fruit (06).jpg, Infructescence.
File:Corydalis cava fruit (04).jpg, Close-up of single pendent fruit with its accompanying bract.
File:Compilation of seeds with elaiosomes 3.jpg, Single seed, greatly magnified, showing its elaiosome (= oily, ant-attracting appendage).
File:Corydalis cava Pollen 400x.jpg, Photomicrograph of pollen grains.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q161556

cava
Flora of Europe
Ephemeral plants