Tap. 7456. 
ASARUM MAXIMUM. 
Native of China. 
Nat. Ord. ARISTOLOCHIACEA. 
Genus AsaruM, Linn. ; (Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 122.) 
ASARUM maximum ; robustum, glabrum, foliis amplis longe petiolatis late ovatis 
acutis basi cordatis lobis incumbentibus divaricatisve supra saturate 
viridibus subtus pallidis costa nervisque elevatis, floribus subsessilibus 
2% poll. latis, perianthio basi obconico dein annulo crasso cincto, superne 
' latissime campanulato 3-lobo, lobis rotundatis intus atropurpureis, singulis 
basi disco fungoso flavo lobo conformi instructis, fauce transverse rugosa 
purpurea, antheris subsessilibus oblongis obtuse appendiculatis, stylis 
. brevibus connatis, stigmatibus oblongis obtuse 2-coronatis. 
~ A. maximum, Hemsl. in Gard. Chron. (1890) vol. i. p. 422, and in Journ, Linn, 
Soe. vol. xxvi. (1891) 359, ; 
The genus Asarum is remarkable for the very great 
differences it exhibits in the form of the perianth, stamens 
and styles, whilst preserving a great similarity in the habit 
of its species. A. maximum differs from all its allies, not 
only in the size of the flowers, which far exceeds (almost 
doubles) that of any other hitherto described species, but 
in the spongy cushions of the bases of the perianth-lobes, 
which cushions together form a three-lobed sort of crown 
in the centre of the flower, of a pale primrose colour, in 
strikng relief against the dark maroon-purple of the rest 
of the lobes. Another notable character is the thickened 
ring girdling the tube of the corolla on a level with the 
top of the ovary. nae 
_ Referring to the four species previously figured in this 
work, these illustrate well the great diversities of form in 
the perianth of the genus, diversities so great as to suggest 
their being of generic nature. Thus in A. canadense 
t. 2769) the corolla lobes are triangular and subcaudate, 
Amar dor, 1096 
