Tas. 6586, 
ARISTOLOCHIA axtissima. 
Native of Sicily and Algeria. 
Nat. Ord. ArIsToLOcHIEZ. 
Genus Aristotocuia, Linn. ; (Benth, et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. vol. iii. p. 123.) 
ArtstoLocHiA (Diplolobus). altissima ; herba v. suffrutex volubilis, gracilis, gla- 
berrima, caule basi fruticoso 6-gono, foliis petiolatis persistentibus rigidulis 
nitidis ovato-cordatis 5-7-nerviis undulatis acutis v. obtusis sinu lato v. angusto, 
‘lobis rotundatis, nervis reticulatis, floribus axillaribus solitariis longe gracile 
pedunculatis folia non excedentibus, ovario clavato 6-gono, perianthii utriculo 
parvo globoso, tubo elongato curvo e basi sensim ampliato, limbi ore valde 
obliquo ovato-lanceolato subacuto tubo breviore, marginibus inferne recurvis. 
A. altissima, Desf. Fl. Atlant. vol. ii. p. 324, t. 249; Guss. Synops. Fl. Sicule, 
vol. ii. pars i. p. 559; Bertol. Fl. Ital. vol. ix. p. 641; Duchartre in DC. 
Prodr. vol. xv. pars i. p. 489; Boiss. Flor. Orient. vol. iv. p. 1075. 
This is a hardy climber, well worthy of cultivation on 
account of its bright-green glossy foliage and very elegant 
habit. It has a pretty wide geographical range from 
Algeria, Sicily, and the kingdom of Naples to Greece, 
Cyprus, the Lebanon and Antilebanon. 
The flowering time of this plant seems very capricious. 
In De Candolle’s Prodromus it is said to flower in Algeria 
in December, and in May and June or throughout the year 
in Sicily ; at Kew and in Paris it blossoms in June, July, 
and August, and I have seen flowering specimens from 
Algeria which are dated May. It would thus appear to 
have in the Mediterranean region a flowering season of at 
least eight months. 
Aristolochia altissima has been long cultivated at Kew, 
though it does not appear in Aiton’s “ Hortus Kewensis.” 
It has stood against an East wall throughout the last two 
severe winters, though cut to the ground, where its roots 
were protected by a little cocoa-nut refuse. It flowers 
profusely. 
OCTCBER lst, 1881. 
