Corydalis crithmifolia - Sea-Fennel-Leaf Corydalis

Sea-Fennel-Leaf Corydalis is an erect or nearly so small perennial herb, 10-20 cm tall, hairless, somewhat glaucous, simple or unbranched. Basal leaves are 2-3-ternate, long stalked, 10-15 cm long, somewhat reminiscent of leaves of Sea-Fennel (Crithmum). Pinnae are 1-2 cm in diameter, stalked, each with 2 deeply dissected lobes; each lobe again deeply dissected to the base into 3-4 lobules or ultimate segments; lobule linear to elliptic-oblong, 8-15 mm long, 2-3 mm broad, pointed or obscurely with a short sharp point. Stem leaves are 0-2, often 2 opposite, down below the middle of the stem, small, simply few lobed or pinnately cut, to almost entire. Flowers are borne in 10-20-flowered racemes, somewhat lax in fruit and up to 10 cm long, not exceeding the radical leaves; bracts long, linear, stalkless, 1.5-3 cm long, 2-5 mm broad, stalkless, much exceeding the flower-stalks. Flowers are pale yellow, often with purplish tips, 1.8-2.3 cm long, including spur about 3/4 as long (or more than half as long), slender and. downcurved below. Sepals are 1-1.5 mm in diameter, dissected, not prominent. Upper petal limb is dorsally prominently winged above the pointed tip, about half as along as the slender narrow spur; lower petal similarly winged, somewhat saccate at base. Flower-stalks are 1-2 cm long, deflexed in fruit. Capsules are linear-elliptic, 1-1.5 cm long, 2-2.5 mm broad; style 3-3.5 mm long with a dilated curved stigma. Sea-Fennel-Leaf Corydalis is found in North Pakistan to West Himalaya. Flowering: May-August.