Corydalis

Corydalis
Corydalis solida
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Papaveraceae
Subfamily: Fumarioideae
Tribe: Fumarieae
Subtribe: Corydaline
Genus: Corydalis
DC.
Type species
Corydalis bulbosa
(L.) DC.

Corydalis (Greek korydalís "crested lark") is a genus of about 470 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants in the Papaveraceae 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.

Ecology

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

Toxicity

Corydalis cava and some other tuberous species contain the alkaloid bulbocapnine, which is occasionally used in medicine but scientific evidence is lacking in the correct dosages and side effects.[1]

Many of the species in Corydalis contain other toxins and alkaloids like canadine, which blocks calcium.

Taxonomy

Current species

There are about 470 species, including:

Former species

Several former Corydalis have been moved to new genera:

Pseudofumaria
Capnoides

References

  1. ↑ "CORYDALIS". WebMD. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
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