WikiBotanicals:Dentaria

Dentaria (from dens, a tooth; referring to the fanged roots). Toothwort. A genus of very ornamental hardy herbaceous perennials.

Background
Radical leaves none or few, on long stalks; cauline ones stalked, placed on the middle of the stem, alternate or in whorls, palmately or pinnately cut. Stem erect, bearing the raceme at the top; pedicels filiform, bractless. Rootstocks creeping, scaly. They are of very simple culture in a rich, light soil, and a moist, shaded situation. Propagated by carefully-made divisions of the root; or by seed. There are about twenty species, all confined to North temperate regions.

Species
D. bulbifera (bulb-bearing), flower purple, few, rather large. April. leaves cauline, ones alternate, pinnate; upper ones undivided, or with few segments, for the most part bearing bulbs in the axils. h. 1 1/2ft, to 2ft. Europe (England). (Sy. En. B. 107.)

D. digitata (digitate). flower rich purple. May. leaves cauline ones many, alternate, stalked, palmately cut into five oblong-lanceolate, pointed, grossly serrated segments, h. 1 1/2ft. South Europe, 1659. (L. B. C. 757.)

D. diphylla (two-leaved). flower white on the inside, purple on the outside. May. leaves cauline ones two, alternate, on short stalks, cut into three ovate-lanceolate, grossly and unequally serrate-lobed segments. h. 6in. to 1ft. North America, 1810. (B. M. 1465.)

D. glandulosa (glandular). flower purplish. May. leaves three in a whorl, stalked, ternate; segments oval-lanceolate, acuminated, serrated, bearing glands in the axils. h. 1ft. Hungary, 1815.

D. laciniata (jagged), flower rose-coloured, or almost white, large. April. leaves three in a whorl, on short stalks, three-parted; lobes or segments linear, entire, or deeply serrated or jagged. h. 1ft. North America, 1823.

D. pinnata (pinnate), flower white, or pale purple, large. May. leaves cauline ones alternate, stalked, pinnate; segments oblong, acuminated, serrate-toothed. h. 1ft. Switzerland, &c., 1683. (R. G. 623.)

D. polyphylla (many-leaved). flower cream-coloured, large. May. leaves three in a whorl, or alternate, stalked, pinnate; segments seven or nine, approximate, lanceolate, acuminated, serrated. h. 1ft. Hungary, 1817. (R. G. 171.)

D. tenella (slender), flower purple, about the size of those of Cardamine pratensis. April. leaves two, alternate, sessile, cut into three linear-elliptical entire segments. h. 9in. North America, 1826.