Syn.: Bulbocapnos cavus Bernh., Capnites cava (L.) Dumort., Corydalis tuberosa DC., Fumaria bulbosa var. cava L., Fumaria cava (L.) Mill., Pistolochia cava (L.) Bernh.
Family: Papaveraceae Juss.
Distribution: Europe and southwestern Asia – from northeastern Portugal and Belgium to Ukraine, Ciscaucasia and northern Iran, northward to southern Sweden.
Ecology: It grows in open forests, alluvial forests and mixed deciduous forests, on humus soils, from lowlands to foothills. It blooms from March to May.
Description: Perennial herb with a hollow tuber, 10–35 cm tall. Stem erect, without a scale below lowest leaf. Leaves 2- or 3-ternate, usually alternate, glaucous or green. Raceme 10–20-flowered; bracts conspicuous, ovate, entire; corolla 20–30 mm, purple, white or rarely pink; sepals absent, petals 4, the 2 inner similar, oblong, broadened and coherent at apex, the 2 outer dissimilar, the lower usually somewhat saccate at base, expanded into broad limb at apex, the upper with curved spur. Fruit a capsule, 20–25 mm long, pendent when ripe.
These images were taken in Czechia, Bohemia, Prague (April 10, 2011) and Chotuc (April 20, 2014).
