Corydalis ambigua, Corydalis fumariifolia, and Corydalis ambigua all belong to the Corydalis genus of the poppy family. What's interesting about them is that when they bloom in the forest in spring (April to June), their purple to bluish-purple flowers bloom in a spiral pattern facing in all directions.However, their flower shapes and habitats are similar, so they may be confused. While these three species have various differences, checking the shape of their leaves is the first step to accurately distinguishing them. If you forget to check the leaves, you can check the flower color, the shape of the bracts below the flower, and the shape of the fruit.This article will explain the classification and morphology of the genus Corydalis.
What are Corydalis ambigua, Corydalis fumariifolia, and Corydalis ambigua?
Purple Corydalis (Purple Corydalis) Corydalis incisa This perennial herb is distributed in Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and the Ryukyu Islands in Japan, as well as in China, and grows in forests, on the edges of fields, and along roadsides (Kanagawa Prefecture Flora Survey Association, 2018).
Jirobo Engosaku (Corydalis ambigua) Corydalis decumbens This perennial herb is distributed in Honshu (west of the Kanto and Chubu regions), Shikoku, and Kyushu in Japan; as well as in China and Taiwan, and grows in grasslands, forest edges, and between stone walls.
Corydalis ambigua (Japanese Corydalis) Corydalis lineariloba var. lineariloba This perennial herb is distributed in Honshu and Kyushu in Japan, as well as in Korea, China, Amur, and Ussuri, and grows in mixed forests and forest edges.
Both belong to the genus Corydalis in the poppy family, and what's interesting is that in the spring (April to June) when they bloom in the forest, their purple to bluish-purple flowers bloom in a spiral pattern facing in all directions. The Japanese name Murasaki-keman comes from the fact that the flowers face diagonally upwards or downwards, resembling Buddhist implements.Hana wigIt is said that the name originates from (decorative ornaments hung in transoms and other places in temples), but the flowers of the Corydalis genus themselves do not resemble keman very much, and are closely related to Dicentra peregrina, which belongs to the same poppy family. Lamprocapnos spectabilis It might be better to think of it as a name derived from something else. Here, there are actually flowers hanging down.
The flower has four petals, but the two outer petals and the two inner petals have different shapes. The upper of the outer petals has a unique structure in which the back is pouch-shaped and protrudes, which gives it a very different appearance from other poppy flowers (Hayashi et al., 2013). The two inner petals are fused at the tips. This flower structure is the same in all three species and they are quite similar.
They also share the characteristic of having leaves that are twice-ternately compound.
They have similar habitats and can sometimes coexist.
Therefore, some people may not be able to tell the difference.
What are the differences between Corydalis ambigua, Corydalis fumariifolia, and Corydalis ambigua?
Several methods have been proposed to distinguish these three species, but I think it's best to identify them by their leaves (Kanagawa Prefecture Flora Survey Association, 2018).
All three species have compound leaves, but the difference is that Corydalis ambigua has serrated edges on its leaves, while Corydalis fumariifolia and Corydalis hyemalis do not.
Regarding Corydalis ambigua and Corydalis fumariifolia, the difference is that Corydalis ambigua has leaflets that are deeply divided into 2-3 lobes, while Corydalis fumariifolia has leaflets that are not divided and are linear to broadly ovate.
For the record, Corydalis incisa does not have tubers, while Corydalis ambigua and Corydalis fumariifolia do have tubers.
This results in a difference between Corydalis ambigua, which keeps its leaves up all year except in winter, and Corydalis fumariifolia and Corydalis radiata, which have their above-ground parts die back in summer and spend a long time underground until the following spring using their tubers as nutrients, becoming "spring plants."
This is a significant ecological difference, but it won't be helpful when trying to distinguish them in the wild during spring.
In addition, the flower colors are usually purple for Corydalis ambigua, pale reddish-purple for Corydalis fumariifolia, and pale purple for Corydalis ambigua, but there are many exceptions as will be discussed later.
The fruits are narrowly oblong in Corydalis ambigua, linear in Corydalis fumariifolia, and broadly lanceolate or ovate-oblong in Corydalis radiata.
While there are bracts at the base of the flower, in Corydalis ambigua and Corydalis fumariifolia, the bracts are tooth-shaped, whereas in Corydalis fumariifolia, the bracts are entire.
Are there any other similar species? Are there any varieties or cultivars?
The flowers of Corydalis ambigua are somewhat smaller, with only the tips of the petals tinged with reddish-purple, and the overall color being close to white. This is a variety called Corydalis fumariifolia f. pallescens Or, a variety of Corydalis ambigua with all its petals being white. candide It is known that...
Corydalis ambigua includes a variety called Corydalis ambigua f., which has entirely white petals. albescens It is known that...
Corydalis ambigua has a smaller overall size and fewer flowers, with only 2-4 flowers, known as Corydalis fumariifolia var. capillaris It is known that...
References
Hayashi, Yasaka, Kadota, Yuichi, and Hirano, Takahisa. 2013. Yamakei Handy Illustrated Guide 1: Wildflowers (Revised and Expanded New Edition). Yama-kei Publishers, Tokyo. 664pp. ISBN: 9784635070195
Kanagawa Prefecture Flora Survey Association. 2018. Kanagawa Prefecture Flora 2018 (Electronic Edition). Kanagawa Prefecture Flora Survey Association, Odawara. 1803pp. ISBN: 9784991053726
