Corydalis

Corydalis (Greek korydalís "crested lark") is a genus of about 470 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants in the fumewort family (sometimes included in the poppy family), native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere and the high mountains of tropical eastern Africa. They are most diverse in China and the Himalayas, with at least 357 species in China.

Corydalis species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species (butterflies), especially of the genus Mnemosyne.

Corydalis cava and some other tuberous species contain the alkaloid bulbocapnine, which is occasionally used in medicine.

Species

There are about 470 species, including:

Former species

Several former Corydalis have been moved to new genera:

Pseudofumaria

• Corydalis lutea = Pseudofumaria lutea
  Yellow Corydalis
• Corydalis ochroleuca = Pseudofumaria alba

Capnoides

• Corydalis sempervirens = Capnoides sempervirens

External links

• Flora of China