Toothwort -- Dentaria heterophylla



Family Cruciferae (Mustard family)

The flowers of Dentaria are produced in small racemes and have four petals, with leaves that have jagged edges. This is one of our early flowering plants, blooming in March to early April. There is a related species, the cut-leaf toothwort D. lactiniata, which appears about the same time, often alongside this species. The latter can be distinguished from the very jagged leaves and the flowers, which are often pink or pinkish-white.


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Copyright 1997, 1998 Michael W. and Gary W. Thompson. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of law.