Species

Cardamine pratensis

Etymology

Cardamine: From the Greek name kárdamon, referring to an Indian spice

Common Name(s)

cuckoo cress, lady's smock

Authority

Cardamine pratensis L.

Family

Brassicaceae

Brief Description

Upright perennial herb up to 60 cm tall, with divided, watercress-like leaves and groups of pink flowers, c. 1 cm across.

Flora Category

Vascular - Exotic

NVS Species Code

CARPRA

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Distribution

Local in North Island, also collected in two South Island localities in Westland and Southland.

Habitat

Wet grass- or sedgeland.

Features

Perennial herb. Rhizomes present. Stems erect, straight, glabrous, purplish or green, (15)-30-60-(80) cm tall. Lvs thin, green, glabrous, or rarely cauline lvs ciliate. Basal lvs many, pinnate, petiolate; terminal leaflet broadly elliptic, entire, lobed or toothed, shallowly cordate, larger than laterals; lateral leaflets in (3)-4-5-(6) pairs, broadly ovate, lobed or entire, shallowly cordate at base; petiolules < leaflets. Cauline lvs pinnate, shortly petiolate; terminal leaflet larger than laterals, entire, becoming narrow-elliptic to linear, cuneate at base; lateral leaflets in (3)-4-5-(6) pairs, entire, narrow-obovate to linear, cuneate at base, subsessile. Infl. racemose, straight, glabrous, 15-35 cm long. Pedicels glabrous, erecto-patent, 10-20-(30) mm long at fruiting. Sepals glabrous, green or pinkish, with scarious margins, 2.5-4 × 1-1.5-(2) mm. Petals pink (sometimes white), spreading, clawed, 8-11 × 4-6 mm. Stamens 6. Silique pale yellowish green or with purple valves, erect, (10)-15-18-(25) × 1-1.5 mm; valves glabrous; style 1-2 mm long. Seeds reddish brown, elliptic-oblong, not winged, c. 1.5 mm long.

Similar Taxa

Unlike any other cresses this species has large pink (rarely white) flowers.

Flowering

Late spring to autumn

Flower Colours

Red / Pink,White

Fruiting

Autumn

Year Naturalised

1940

Origin

Europe, North America, northern Asia

Reason for Introduction

Unknown, possibly an ornamental plant

Control Techniques

Not controlled in New Zealand.

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Seed dispersed by contaminated machinery or footwear.

Attribution

Factsheet prepared by Paul Champion and Deborah Hofstra (NIWA). Prepared by Paul Champion and Deborah Hofstra (NIWA). Features description from Webb et al., (1998).

References and further reading

Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G.; Warburg, E.F.  (1962). Flora of the British Isles.  Cambridge University Press, Second Edition.  1269pp.

Johnson PN, Brooke PA (1989).  Wetland plants in New Zealand.   DSIR Field Guide, DSIR Publishing, Wellington. 319pp.

Popay et al (2010).  An illustrated guide to common weeds of New Zealand, third edition.  NZ Plant Protection Society Inc, 416pp.

Webb, C.J.; Sykes, W.R.; Garnock-Jones, P.J. (1988). Flora of New Zealand Volume 4: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch.

This page last updated on 22 Jun 2016