Tab. 5700. 



ABISTOLOCHIA ringens, 



Gap ing-flowered Aristolochia. 



Xat. Ord. Aristolocuie^:. — Gyxandria Hexasdria. 

 Gen. Char. {Vide supra, Tab. 5120.) 



Aristolochia (Gymnolobus) ringens; glaberrima, caule volubili alte scan- 

 dente, foliis late reniformi-rotundatis, sinu obtuso, obtusis emargina- 

 tisve subtus glaucis, basi digitatim 7-9-nerviis, pseudo-stipulis reni- 

 formibus profunde auriculato-2-lobis, floribus longe pedunculitis, 

 ovario infra apicem dilatatum tuberculato, perianthio viridi purpureo 

 marmorato, utriculo obovoideo inflato, tubo mfra-apicali refracto assur- 

 gente 2-labiato, labiis valde elongatis superiore lineari-lanceolato ob- 

 tuso concavo, inferiore breviore spathulato, ungue marginibus recur- 

 vis, lamina dilatata orbiculata v. ovata. 



Aristolochia ringens. Vahl, Symb. v. 3. p. 99. J'acq. Coll. v. 5. t. 4. /. 

 2. Duchartre in DC. Prodr. xv.pt. 1. p. 471. 



A. grandiflora. Vald, Symb. v. 2. p. 94. t. 47. 



IIoavaedia ringens. Klotzsch in MonaUb. Acad. Berl. 1859. p. G07. 



This noble plant was introduced into the Royal Gardens 

 by its late collector, Mr. Purdie, from the plain of Santa 

 Cruz, in New Granada, where its roots are esteemed as an 

 antidote for snake bites, and form one of the many plants 

 having that reputed property, and called " Guaco " by the 

 natives. It inhabits also the Caraccas, and, according to 

 Ducharte, the West Indian islands near that coast. The 

 form of the lobe of the lower lip varies, in the dried speci- 

 mens, from oblong to orbicuiar-reniform, and as the latter 

 character is the only distinctive one assigned to the A. Mans, 

 Willd., which comes from the same country, T suspect that 

 this latter is not a distinct species. 



A. ringens has flowered repeatedly in the Royal Gardens, 

 usually in the month of September. 



Dkscr. A tall, .slender, twining, perfectly glabrous plant 

 Leaves petioled; petioles one to two inches long, broadly or- 



vl'rii, 1st, L868. 



