toothwort

Woodland mustard relative

Toothwort is a woodland plant of the mustard family, named for its tooth-shaped root scales.

Several species grow in eastern North America, producing clusters of small white or pinkish flowers in early spring.

The roots were traditionally used in folk medicine for toothaches, though this use likely stemmed more from the plant's appearance than any medicinal property.

wildflower

woodland

Forested land area

perennial · rhizomatous · groundcover · deciduous · native · wildflower · flora · botany · dicotyledon · angiosperm

medicinal

rhizome

Horizontal underground plant stem

  • rootUnderground absorbing structure
  • pepperyHaving sharp, hot flavor
  • edibleSafe to consume

poultice · toothache · herbalism · ethnobotany · foraging · traditional · bitter · pungent

habitat

forest

Tree-dense ecosystem

  • understoryForest's lower vegetation tier
  • shadeDarkness from blocked light
  • humusDecayed organic soil matter

moist · ecosystem · biodiversity · canopy · ferns · mosses · old-growth · ravine · streambank · Appalachian

springtime

vernal

Relating to spring

sprouting · emergence · April · May · snowmelt · renewal · fleeting · seasonal · brief

bloom

petals

Colored bloom segments

  • corollaFlower's collective petals
  • sepalsOuter whorl protecting buds
  • calyxCollective sepals encircling petals

stamen · anther · pistil · ovary · style · nectar · pollen · pollination · inflorescence · blossom

Family

toothworts

Familiarity
Top 1,000,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G