Cut-leaved Toothwort

Although Cut-leaved Toothwort is the most common name for the early blooming Cardamine concatenate, some of the other local names for this flowering herb also catch my fancy.

 In different areas of eastern North America, to which this plant is native, it is called variously, Lady's Smocks, Crinkleroot, Milkmaids, Pepper Root, Pepperwort, and Toothache Root.

Pretty catchy names, aren't they?

The last three describe the different attributes for which this plant was prized by Native Americans and , subsequently, by the first settlers, as food, condiment, and as medicine.

Cut-leaved Toothwort is a member of the Mustard (Brassicaceae) family, many of which are also the earliest to bloom in a given area, including Early Yellowrocket, Shepherd's Purse, and Whitlow Grass.)

I found these dainty blossoms adorning the marshy bank of a sparkling stream in the George Washington National Forest.

The only other wildflower to be seen in that wet habitat in late March was the exquisite pink blossoms of Spring Beauty .

The "Cut-leaf" part of this common name is easy enough to see; the leaves are indeed distinctive, with their deeply indented lobes.

There is one other attribute of the foliage that adds another interesting dimension to our consideration of this flowering herb: The foliage is itself truly ephemeral.

At the end of the short flowering period, the leaves are absorbed—recycled?—into the stalk and finally into the root.

The "Toothwort" ("wort" meaning "plant") part of the common name reflects an interesting mix of herbal medicine and a transfer of medieval herbal lore called the "Doctrine of Signatures" to North America.

This belief says that the shape of a herb, among other attributes, is given by the Creator as a sign (signature) of its usefulness in the herbal pharmacopoeia.

In this instance, the Doctrine says the purpose of the root of this plant, with its stubby white excrescences that look like teeth, is for treatment of dental problems—thus also the more to-the-point common name, Toothache Root.  And, indeed, the mashed root was used by Native Americans and the early colonists as a poultice to relieve the pain of a toothache.

Now whether application of the Doctrine preceded the effective use of the root for a toothache, or not, I'll let you be the judge.

But beyond its use in herbal medicine, the root and leaves, like some other members of the Mustard family, are reputed to be tasty when boiled, with a little salt. They are said to have a mild, peppery taste and are quite nutritious, too.

But if herbal physicians wanted to gather in a store of the root for future use, they could not delay long after seeing Milkmaids or Lady's Smocks beautifying some damp, low-lying dell.

Less than two weeks after these images were taken, not only were the china-white petals gone, but also the unusual foliage, too. 

In fact, there was no sign that Cardamine concatenate had only a short while before graced the bank of this forest stream.

Truly a short-lived lily:

"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow...., which to day is, and tomorrow...."

Any thoughts, pro or con? Why not drop me an anonymous note at the Comments page?

OR

Go back to the Main Directory to consider more lilies of the field.