Corydalis aurea

The flowers are bilaterally symmetrical, yellow, 1 cm (0.39 in) long, with a pouch-like spur at the bottom of the petals that is around 0.5 cm (0.20 in) long and born in racemes of up to 30 flowers, each on a short stem. The flowers have four petals and six stamens, which classifies this flower under the Eudicots clade, also known as a monophyletic group. They are pollinated by insects. The flowers are originally erect but droop as they age.{{Cite web |title=Corydalis aurea (Golden Corydalis): Minnesota Wildflowers |url=https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/golden-corydalis |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=www.minnesotawildflowers.info |language=en}} They flowers possess a green spot within the end of the tip's center that changes color as the flower reaches a later age. The flowers possess Indeterminate growth phenology and die when unable to handle environmental conditions. Their blooming season ranges from mid-winter to early fall, depending on their location and habitat.

The seeds produced are not appetizing to taste and have been known to poison cattle and other animals due to the potentially toxic alkaloids they possess.{{Cite book |last=Mackinnon |first=A. |title=Edible and Medicinal Plants of Canada |publisher=Lone Pine Publishing |year=2009 |location=Edmonton, Alberta |pages=417}} Although potentially toxic, they have been utilized throughout history for medical uses for humans.{{Cite web |title=Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin |url=https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=coau2 |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=www.wildflower.org}} The seeds disperse in two main manners, with those being through wind dispersion and through animal dispersion by ants.{{Cite journal |last=Hanzawa |first=Frances M. |date=January 1988 |title=Directed Dispersal: Demographic Analysis of an Ant-Seed Mutualism |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2461795 |journal=The American Naturalist |volume=131 |issue=1 |pages=1–13}}

The fruits are cylindrical capsules. They most closely represent a pea pod shape and are typically a straight shape before curling in an upwards manner as its seeds prepare to disperse.

Stems are decumbent, to 40 cm long, with blue-green or green-grey leaves divided into leaflets with oval or diamond lobes. Because of their pointed nature, the leaves have an appearance that is most comparable to a feather.

The root is a branching caudex. The roots possess medicinal properties, having been used to treat headaches.

Traditionally used by Amerindians, its use as a tea provided relief for heart diseases, backaches, stomach aches, menstruation pain, diarrhea, sore throats, and bronchitis, among other things. The smoke and fumes produced from burning the plants' roots were used to relieve pain caused by headaches.

Uncommonly used for artificial habitats such as a Rock garden.

Native to North America, Corydalis aurea ranges from western Quebec to California and can also be found in states such as Missouri, Texas, West Virginia, and along the New England states.{{Cite web |last=Matthews |first=Robin |date=1993 |title=Corydalis Aurea- US Forest Service |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/forb/coraur/all.html |access-date=12 April 2024}} A winter annual, it can be found in areas such as the sagebrush steppe{{Cite book|last=Taylor|first=Ronald J.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/25708726|title=Sagebrush Country: A Wildflower Sanctuary|publisher=Mountain Press Pub. Co|year=1994|isbn=0-87842-280-3|edition=rev.|location=Missoula, MT|pages=40–41|language=en|oclc=25708726|orig-year=1992}} but thrives in a variety of habitats such as mountain meadows, prairies, and in well wooded areas. They can be found along the bottom of creek beds underneath shade and surrounded by thickets along gravel grades.

{{Reflist}}

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• [http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5547,5555,5556 Jepson Manual Treatment]
• {{CalPhotos|Corydalis|aurea}}
• [http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Corydalis+aurea Plants For A Future]

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aurea

Category:Medicinal plants of North America

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