Erythronium dens-canis explained

Erythronium dens-canis, the dog's-tooth-violet or dogtooth violet, is a bulbous herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Liliaceae, growing to 25cm (10inches). It is native to central and southern Europe from Portugal to Ukraine.[1] It is the only naturally occurring species of Erythronium in Europe. Despite its common name, it is not closely related to the true violets of genus Viola.[2]

Description

Erythronium dens-canis produces a solitary white, pink or lilac flower at the beginning of spring. The petals (growing to approx. 3 cm) are reflexed at the top and yellow tinted at the base. The brown spotted leaves are ovate to lanceolate and grow in pairs. The white bulb is oblong and resembles a dog's tooth, hence the common name "dog's tooth violet" and the Latin specific epithet dens-canis, which translates as "dog's tooth".[3] [4]

Ecology

Erythronium dens-canis is found in damp, lightly shaded settings such as deciduous woodland.

Uses

Its leaves may be consumed raw in salad, or boiled as a leaf vegetable. The bulb is also the source of a starch used in making vermicelli.[5]

Varieties formerly includedNumerous names have been coined at the varietal level for plants once considered to be included within Erythronium dens-canis. None of the European varieties is now recognized as meriting recognition but some of the Asian species are now regarded as distinct species.

Notes and References

  1. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=305755 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. Book: RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. 2008. Dorling Kindersley. United Kingdom. 978-1405332965. 1136.
  3. Book: Harrison, Lorraine. RHS Latin for gardeners. 2012. Mitchell Beazley. United Kingdom. 9781845337315. 224.
  4. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358324#page/317/mode/1up Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 1: 305.
  5. Web site: Erythronium dens-canis. Plants for a future. 26 July 2013.