Tas. 8613. 
ARISTOLOCHIA LONGECAUDATA. 
Tropical South America. 
ARISTOLOCHIACEAE. 
AristoLocutA, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 123. 
Aristolochia longecaudata, Mast. in Mart. Flor. Bras. vol. iv. pars 2, p. 84, 
et in Gard. Chron. 1890, vol. -viii. p. 493, fig. 98, non S. Wats.; species 
A. Leprieurii, Duchartre, affinis, perianthii tubo infra oblique inflato differt, 
Herba perennis. Caulis scandens, pilis brevibus sparsim instructus. Folia 
integra vel lobata, plus minusve ovata vel oblonga, acuta vel acuminata, 
basi cordata, usque ad 11 cm. longa, 2-6 cm. lata, supra glabra, subtus 
minute denseque pubescentia, trinervia, nervis lateralibus lamina quadrante 
brevioribus, venulis dense reticulatis; petiolus 4 cm. longus, pubescens. 
Flores solitares, axillares; pedicelli 3 em. longi, pubescentes. Perianthium 
dilute cremeum, extra brunneo-reticulatum et striatum, parte basali 
oblique inflato 4°5 cm. longo circiter 2°5 cm. diametro intus areis 
duabus lateralibus albo-arachnoideis instructo, fauce intus pilis brunneis - 
dense vestita; lobus e basi 8 cm. lata ad apicem gradatim attenuatus, 
20 cm. longus, spiraliter tortus. Stamina 6; antherae cereo-flavae. 
Ovarium 8 em. longum, pubescens, leviter sulcatum ; styli rami 6, obtusi. 
—C,. H. Wricur. 
The Birthwort which is the subject of our illustration 
was first described by the late Dr. Maxwell Masters from 
herbarium specimens collected by Mr. Appun in British 
Guiana. It was alluded to again by Masters in the 
Gardeners’ Chronicle in 1890, his note being accompanied 
by a figure based on a plant introduced from Demerara 
and flowered at North Cray by Mr. Todd. The present 
figure has been prepared from a plant presented to 
Kew in June, 1913, by the Rev. A. Miles-Moss who 
had met with this and several other species of Aristo- 
lochia in the State of Para, Brazil. This plant has 
thriven well in a moist tropical house. It flowered for 
the first time in February, 1914, when its identity with 
the Guiana plant described by Masters as A. longecaudata 
was established. Among the especial characters noted 
by Masters as characteristic of the species is the dense 
patch of hairs in the perianth throat. Another notable, 
though in the genus Aristolochia rather general feature 
is the powerful and disagreeable odour of the flowers in 
JUNE, 1915. 
