Cutleaf Toothwort

Description:

Toothwort is a spring ephemeral, a plant that grows, flowers, and fruits in the spring when the woods are full of sunshine before the trees leaf out. Once the trees shade them out they vanish underground until the next spring. Toothwort has a one-side cluster of white or purplish flowers with four petals which only partially open, giving the flower a bell-like appearance. The plant has both basal leaves, that is leaves that come up directly from the roots, and cauline leaves, leaves on the flowering stem. Usually the basal leaves appear very early in spring and die by the time the flowers appear. The cauline, or stem leaves come in a whorl a little above the middle of the stem. Usually there are three, but sometimes two or four, and sometimes they may not be in a whorl at all, but single. Each cauline and basal leave is deeply divided into three leaflets, and each side leaflet is then divided into two, making the leaf appear five-parted. Each section of the leaflet can have a smooth edge, or more commonly can have large teeth, as in the picture. The plant produces slender, string-bean shaped fruits, called siliques, about an inch long, each with a slender beak at one end.

Habitat:

Cutleaf toothwort is an ephemeral of rich moist woods from Quebec to Minnesota, south to Florida, Alabama, Arkansas and Kansas. It likes rocky places, particularly in limestone regions. This one was photographed at Stevens Creek Heritage Preserve in McCormick County, SC.

Notes:

It is also called Crow's Toes, Pepper Root, Purple-flowered Toothwort. Toothwort is in the Brassicaceae or Mustard Family. The slender fruits or siliques are characteristic of this family. Also characteristic of the family is flowers with four petals opposite each other, forming a cross, as seen in the closeup below. An older name for the family is the Cruciferae, literally "cross-forming." Toothwort, however, is unusual in that the flowers appear bell-shaped because they never completely open. Many members of the Brassicaceae are edible, including radishes, mustard, cabbage and kale. Like radishes, toothwort has edible roots. Supposedly they taste of watercress, with a peppery spicy taste.