Japanese name: キケマン（黄華鬘） Scientific name:Corydalis heterocarpa var. japonica
[Overview]
A biennial 40–80 cm tall, found in slightly moist places such as forest edges near the coast, roadsides and sandy grasslands.
It has no round tubers underground.
The whole plant is slightly whitish, and gives off a foul smell when the stems or leaves are damaged.
The stem branches from the lower part and is thick and hollow.
The leaves are alternate and 2–3 times ternately compound.
The leaflets are deeply cut, with notches along the margins.
A raceme at the stem tip bears fairly dense flowers.
The flowers are yellow, 15–20 mm long.
There are 4 petals, but the upper one is longer than the others and has a short spur.
The fruit is a narrowly lanceolate capsule, not constricted like a string of beads, with black seeds arranged in two rows.
When ripe, the fruit bursts and scatters the seeds.
The seeds have an appendage (caruncle) that ants like, and they are carried and dispersed by ants.
