Erythronium dens-canis
| Erythronium dens-canis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Erythronium dens-canis (right) and Anemone hepatica ( left) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| Order: | Liliales |
| Family: | Liliaceae |
| Genus: | Erythronium |
| Species: | E. dens-canis |
| Binomial name | |
| Erythronium dens-canis L. | |
Erythronium dens-canis (common name dog's tooth violet or dogtooth violet) is a bulbous herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Liliaceae, growing to 25 cm (10 in). It is native to Europe, where it is the only naturally occurring species of Erythronium. Despite its common name, it is not closely related to the true violets.[1]
It produces a solitary white, pink or lilac flower at the beginning of spring. The petals (growing to approx. 3 cm) are reflexed at the top and yellow tinted at the base. The brown spotted leaves are ovate to lanceolate and grow in pairs. The white bulb is oblong and resembles a dog's tooth, hence the common name "dog's tooth violet" and the Latin specific epithet dens-canis, which translates as "dog's tooth".[2]
It is found in damp, lightly shaded settings such as deciduous woodland. It is also widely cultivated and has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[3]
Its leaves may be consumed raw in salad, or boiled as a leaf vegetable. The bulb is also the source of a starch used in making vermicelli.[4]
References
- ↑ RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 1405332964.
- ↑ Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. p. 224. ISBN 9781845337315.
- ↑ "Erythronium dens-canis". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ↑ "Erythronium dens-canis". Plants for a future. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dog's tooth violet (Erythronium dens-canis).
Data related to Dog's tooth violet (Erythronium dens-canis) at Wikispecies