rock harlequin
Capnoides sempervirens
Its seeds have a chemical trigger that requires the intense heat of a wildfire to break dormancy, allowing it to rapidly colonize freshly burned landscapes.
- Scientific name
- Capnoides sempervirens
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Ranunculales › Papaveraceae › Capnoides
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Rocky ledges, cliffs, gravelly slopes, and recently burned boreal or mixed-wood forest clearings.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (produces energy via photosynthesis using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and soil minerals).
- Range
- Canada, Northeastern United States, Great Lakes Region, Appalachian Mountains
- Size
- 30 - 80 cm (12 - 31 inches) in height
- Lifespan
- 2 years (biennial)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Fire suppression, which prevents canopy opening and seed germination, and localized habitat loss from trail construction or quarrying.
- Safe to approach?
- Safe to observe and photograph. The plant is harmless to touch, but all parts are toxic if ingested due to alkaloids. Do not consume. Keep pets away. If ingested, seek medical advice.
Capnoides sempervirens , the harlequin corydalis , rock harlequin , pale corydalis or pink corydalis , is an annual or biennial plant native to rocky woodland and burned or disturbed places in northern North America. Capnoides sempervirens is the only species in the genus Capnoides .
Photo: aarongunnar, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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