Cardamine amara L.

Spice

Family: CRUCIFERAE (BRASSICACEAE)

Genus: Cardamine

Catalan common name: Cardàmine alpina. Cardàmine amarga.

Spanish common name: Mastuerzo amargo. Mastuerzo mayor.

Province distribution: Barcelona. Girona. Lleida.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Eurosiberian

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Hemicryptophyte.

Habitats: Non-saline wetlands (intermittent watercourses, streams, artesian wells, ditches).

Characteristics: Stream banks, wet spring and well sides. A stoloniferous herb with a peculiar spicy or bitter taste. The leaves are pinnaticomposites, with the terminal foliole oblong-lanceolate. The petals are white, more than 5 mm and 2-3 times as large as the calyx. The siliques are very narrow, (less than 1 mm wide) and are situated on oblique pedicels.