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Corydalis solida

Common name:	Fumewort	Family:	Papaveraceae
Author:	(L.)Clairv.	Botanical references:	200
Synonyms:	Corydalis halleri ((Willd.)Willd.), Corydalis bulbosa ((L.)DC.)
Known Hazards:	The plant is poisonous[19, 65].
Range:	Europe. Naturalized in Britain[17].
Habitat:	Woods, hedgerows[9], meadows, orchards and vineyards[13], usually on stony soils, avoiding calcareous soils[90].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	3

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	C. cava[H] Fumaria bulbosa[G] Fumaria bulbosa var. solida[G]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Solid-tubered Corydalis [MS,L], Vingerhelmbloem [D],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	solida = solid
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Papaverales. Poppy family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.2m by 0.12m . It is hardy to zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf from March to July, in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen from May to June. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 3/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge.

Edible Uses

Root.

Root - boiled[46, 61, 105, 115]. Rich in starch[2]. Some caution is advised, there is a report that the plant is toxic.

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Anodyne Antibacterial Antispasmodic Hallucinogenic Nervine Sedative.

Fumewort has been used as a painkiller in Chinese medicine for over 1,000 years[238]. The tuber is anodyne, antibacterial, antispasmodic, hallucinogenic, nervine and sedative[9, 13, 238]. It is used internally as a sedative for insomnia and as a stimulant and painkiller, especially in painful menstruation, traumatic injury and lumbago[238]. It is also used for lowering the blood pressure[9, 13]. Research suggests that it also has an action in the thyroid and adrenal cortex[238]. The tuber should not be prescribed for pregnant women[238].
The tubers are harvested when the plant is dormant and are dried for later use[238].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Prefers a moist, well-drained rather light soil, thriving in semi-shade. Grows well in a woodland garden or peat bed. Increases well when grown in a bulb frame, but less freely when grown in the garden[90].
A very ornamental[1] and easily grown plant[129]. There are some named varieties[90].
Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[233].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe, the seed rapidly loses viability if it is allowed to become dry[129]. Surface sow and keep moist, it usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15° c[164]. Germinates in spring according to another report[129]. Two months warm, then a cold stratification improves the germination of stored seed[134, 164]. Sow the seed thinly so that the seedlings can be allowed to grow undisturbed in the pot for their first year. Apply liquid feed at intervals during their growing season to ensure they are well fed. The seedlings only produce one leaf in their first year of growth[175] and are very prone to damping off[129]. Divide the seedlings into individual pots once they have become dormant and grow them on in a partially shaded area of a greenhouse for at least another year. Plant them out into their permanent positions when they are dormant.
Division after flowering.

Cultivars

'': There are some named forms for this species, but these have been developed for their ornamental value and not for their other uses. Unless you particularly require the special characteristics of any of these cultivars, we would generally recommend that you grow the natural species for its useful properties. We have, therefore, not listed the cultivars in this database[K].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[L] Scientific and Common Names (some photos) from Lepidoptera and some other life forms
[V] Images from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A& M Bioinformatics Working Group.
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Corydalis bulbosa (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.

References for corydalis solida (a possible synonym).

[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures

References for the family Papaveraceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.

[13] Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975 ISBN 0-600-33545-3
Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[19] Stary. F. Poisonous Plants. Hamlyn 1983 ISBN 0-600-35666-3
Not very comprehensive, but easy reading.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[65] Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984 ISBN 0723408394
Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.

[90] Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989 ISBN 0-330-30253-1
Superbly illustrated, it gives brief details on cultivation and native habitat.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[115] Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.
Written about a hundred years ago, but still a very good guide to the useful plants of Britain.

[129] ? Alpine Garden Society Bulletin. Volume 56. Alpine Garden Society
Excerpts from the periodical. Some details on Corydalis spp.

[134] Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.

[164] Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.

[175] Bird. R. (Editor) Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') Thompson and Morgan. 1991
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Corydalis spp.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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