Cardamine obliqua A. Richard, Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1: 19. 1847; C. pratensis Linnaeus var. obliqua (A. Richard), Engler, Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr. 225. 1892. TYPE: Ethiopia, Begemdir, Schimper II. 989 (holotype, P!; isotypes, B!, BM!, K!, S!, W!).

Cardamine johnstonii Oliver, Trans. Linn. Soc. Bot. 2: 328. 1887. TYPE: Tanzania, Kilimanjaro, Johnston 21 (holotype, K!; isotype, BM!).

            Herbs, perennial, glabrous to densely pubescent. Rhizome creeping, producing few to numerous shoots. Stems 1–12 dm, decumbent to suberect, many branched baally, persistent, rooting. Leaves pinnately compound, 4–11-foliolate, 2–17 cm; petioles not auriculate at base; lateral leaflets elliptic to suborbicular, entrie to dentate or incised, sessile or with petiolules to 2 cm; terminal leaflet larger; uppermost leaves with narrower leaflets. Racemes ebracteate, 5–30-flowered; fruiting pedicels ascending 1–2 cm. Sepals 2–4 mm, glabrous, purplish; petals white, pink or violet, spatulate, 5–9 mm, obtuse at apex; stamens 6; anthers 1–1.5 mm. Fruits linear, glabrous, 1.4–6 cm × 1–2.1 mm; style 1.8–4 mm. Seeds oblong to suborbicular, 1.2–2.2 × 1–1.5 mm.

Habitat: moist forests, lake shores, streams.

Elevation: 2000–4900 m.

Distribution: Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire.

Notes: the recognition in Rollins (1993b) of some Mexican plants as Cardamine obliqua var. stylosa Rollins is based on misidentified plants of another species, likely C. ovata.