Flower ID: IMG_9855.JPG-10-01-2021 Flower name (scientific): Cardamine pensylvanica Muhlenberg ex Willdenow PY: 1801. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) kar-DA-mih-nee pen-sill-VAN-ee-ka Flower name (common): Pennsylvania Bittercress Family name (common): Mustard Family name (scientific): Brassicaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: From the Greek kárdamon, Dioscorides’ (the Greek physician, pharmacologist, and botanist) name for cress. Specific epithet: Of or from Pennsylvania. Common name origin: The habitat of the type specimen was Pennsylvania and the name bittercress is associated with species in the genus Cardamine. Flower description: Size: 0.1 to 0.3 inches (3 to 8 mm) Petal count: 4 Color: white Other: flower arrangement, Raceme Plant description: Size: 6 to 24 inches (15 to 61 cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is basal and alternate, type is compound Size: Basal leaves are about 4 to 15 cm long. Stem leaves are about 4 to 8 cm long. Terminal leaflets about 1 to 3 cm long and 0.6 to 2.5 cm wide. Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, cauline pinnately (5 or) 7 to 13 (up to 19)-foliolate, sometimes appearing pinnatisect (FNA), pinnately compound with 3 to 15 leaflets, leaflets linear, oblanceolate, obovate, or orbicular (IL) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): April to June Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Annual/Biennial Habitat: Swamps, marshes, banks of streams and rivers, lake margins, semi-shade, wet to mesic. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): Cardamine parviflora (Small-Flowered Bitter Cress) has some resemblance to Cardamine pensylvanica. A straightforward way to differentaite these two species is to note that the terminal leaflet for C. parviflora has about the same width as the other leaflets on the same petiole, whereas the terminal leaflet for C. pensylvanica is usually distinctly broader than the other leaflets on the same petiole. C. pensylvanica prefers a wet habitat, whereas C. parviflora prefers a dry habitat. Planodes virginicum (Virginia Rock Cress) also has a resemblance, and can also be distinguished from C. pensylvanica by the shape of the terminal leaflet, which has a similar width to the other leaflets on the petiole. Planodes virginicum is a more southern species, not reported from Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Michigan. Ethnobotany: Latitude: 44.800223 Longitude: -91.508373 Altitude: 268.10 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AK, AL, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY) In Canada: (AB, BC, LB, MB, NB, NF, NS, NT, ON, PE, QC, SK, YT) References: Synonym(s): Cardamine acuminata (Nutt. ex Torr. & A.Gray) Rydberg, Cardamine breweri var. oregana (Piper) Detling, Cardamine flexuosa var. gracilis O.E.Schulz, Cardamine flexuosa subsp. pensylvanica (Muhl. ex Willd.) O.E.Schulz, Cardamine hirsuta var. acuminata Nutt.,C ardamine hirsuta var. pensylvanica (Muhl. ex Willd.) P.W.Graff, Cardamine hirsuta f. pensylvanica (Muhl. ex Willd.) E.L.Rand & Redfield, Cardamine multifolia Rydberg, Cardamine oregana Piper, Cardamine pensylvanica var. brittoniana Farwell, Cardamine reflexa Raf., Cardamine rotundifolia var. diversifolia O. E. Schulz, Dracamine pensylvanica (Muhl. ex Willd.) Nieuwl. Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym: na