Dicentra (Borkh.), the generic name of some showy herbaceous perennials, of which several species are found wild in the United States. Of these latter, a very delicate and singularly flowered one is D. cucullaria (De Candolle), called Dutchman's breeches, the form of the corolla, with its spurs, resembling that article of apparel suspended in an inverted position. These blossoms are cream-colored tipped with white, and hang in a simple raceme upon a slender drooping scape, rising from the bosom of a set of tender, deeply cut, long-stalked leaves. Both flowers and leaves soon fade away on the approach of summer, and leave, often on the surface of the ground, clusters of little grain-shaped tubers, arranged in the form of scaly bulbs. A second species, called squirrel corn (D. Canadensis, De C.), has scattered, round, flattened tubers, as large as grains of Indian corn, to the resemblance to which it owes its name. Its flowers are greenish white, tinged with red, and possess the fragrance of hyacinths. It is found in rich woodlands. D. eximia (De C), found in western New York and among the Alleghanies of Virginia, is larger than the others, with reddish-purple flowers on a compound, clustered raceme, and with the lobes of the leaves broadly oblong.

D. chrysantha (Hooker and Arnott), a native of California, has large, showy, golden-yellow flowers, leaves 2 and 3 pinnately divided, glaucous, with linear, acute segments, and a stem 2 or 3 ft. high, leafy branching. But the most beautiful of all was introduced from Japan in 1846. From thick, brittle, fleshy roots rise early in the spring numerous stout hollow stems about 3 ft. high, bearing large, spreading, deeply divided, compoundly ternate leaves of a glaucous hue, like the tree paeonias, from the axils of which issue strong flower stalks, branching into axillary and smaller racemes, loaded with large, rosy blossoms, each flower being about an inch long. In the early stage of the inflorescence the buds have a deeper tint. Several weeks elapse from the commencement of the expansion of the first blossoms until the period of blossoming is over; but sometimes a few smaller racemes will appear again toward the end of the summer. This is D. spectabilis, popularly called "bleeding heart." Side shoots or cuttings taken off early in spring, and planted out, will flower in August and September; but for early forcing it is better to put them into pots, and sutler them to ripen away the foliage that has been produced in this condition, in preparation for another season, taking due care lest they strike their freely growing root fibres through the bottom of the pots.

On the approach of severe frost, the pots should be placed under shelter, or put into the cellar, whence they are to be removed into a warmer atmosphere as they are needed for flowering. For early blossoming parlor plants there are few so easily prepared, or so sure of successful management, or which will so well reward any attention. The D. spcctabilis thrives in any good soil, but that which is light, rich, and deep suits it best. By a curious error many writers call the plant dielytra.

Dicentra cucullaria.

Dicentra spectabilis.