Cardamine scutata Thunb.

The above first record from Sichuan is based on Fang 14128 (A).

Except for the smaller size of plant, the type collection of Cardamine zhejiangensis agrees very well with typical plants of C. scutata.

The number of lateral leaf lobes varies a great deal among the annual species of Cardamine, and therefore it cannot be used as a reliable distinguishing character.

Cardamine dentipetala, described from Japan, differs from C. scutata only in having puberulent or pilose (vs. glabrous) fruit. However, some populations of C. dentipetala have plants with glabrescent or pilose fruit, and the distinction between the two species is clearly artificial.

Herbs annual or biennial, rarely short-lived perennial, (5-)15-50(-70) cm tall, glabrous or sparsely pilose. Stems erect, simple at base, simple or branched above, not flexuous. Basal leaves not rosulate, often withered by anthesis; petiole to 3.5 cm; leaf blade pinnatisect, with 1-4 lateral lobes on each side of midvein; terminal lobe subreniform, suborbicular, rhomboid-ovate, or broadly obovate, much larger than lateral ones, (1-)1.5-2.5 × 0.7-2 cm, repand, crenate, or 3-5-lobed; lateral lobes petiolulate or subsessile, oblong, ovate, or suborbicular. Cauline leaves similar to basal ones; petiole to 3 cm, base not auriculate; lateral lobes 1-5 on each side of midvein, much smaller than terminal lobe; terminal lobe (0.7-)2-5(-6.5) × (0.5-)1.5-4(-5) cm, repand, crenate, or coarsely 3-5(-7)-lobed. Racemes with a straight rachis. Fruiting pedicels divaricate or ascending, (0.3-)0.6-1.4(-1.8) cm, slender. Sepals oblong, 1.5-2.5(-3) × (0.7-)0.9-1.4 mm. Petals white, spatulate, 2.5-4.5(-6) × (1-)1.5-2.5 mm. Stamens 6; filaments 2-3.5 mm; anthers ovate, 0.3-0.6 mm. Ovules 20-40 per ovary. Fruit linear, (0.9-)1.5-2.8(-3.5) cm × (0.8-)1-1.4 mm; valves glabrous or rarely sparsely puberulent or pilose, torulose; style (0.3-)0.6-1.5 mm. Seeds brown, oblong or subquadrate, 0.9-1.5 × 0.6-0.9 mm, narrowly margined or not. Fl. Apr-Jul, fr. May-Aug. 2n = 32.

Anhui, Guangdong, Guizhou, Jiangsu, Jilin, Sichuan, Taiwan, Zhejiang [Japan, Korea, Russia (Far East)].

Valleys, shady slopes, damp sites, along ditches, rock crevices, mountain slopes, roadsides, streamsides; near sea level to 2100 m.

Cardamine angulata Hooker var. kamtschatica Regel; C. autumnalis Koidzumi; C. baishanensis P. Y. Fu; C. dentipetala Matsumura; C. drakeana H. Boissieu; C. flexuosa Withering var. kamtschatica (Regel) Matsumura; C. flexuosa subsp. regeliana (Miquel) O. E. Schulz; C. flexuosa var. regeliana (Miquel) Komarov; C. flexuosa var. manshurica Komarov; C. hirsuta Linnaeus var. latifolia Maximowicz; C. hirsuta var. regeliana (Miquel) Maximowicz; C. hirsuta var. rotundiloba Hayata; C. regeliana Miquel; C. regeliana var. manshurica (Komarov) Kitagawa; C. scutata var. longiloba P. Y. Fu; C. scutata var. regeliana (Miquel) H. Hara; C. scutata var. rotundiloba (Hayata) T. S. Liu & S. S. Ying; C. sylvatica Link var. regeliana (Miquel) Franchet & Savatier; C. taquetii H. Léveillé; C. zhejiangensis T. Y. Cheo & R. C. Fang; C. zhejiangensis var. huangshanensis D. C. Zhang.