6^ AzasToi-ocazA. no. iq. 



alternate and petiolate, oblong or lanceolate^ base cor- 

 dolate, end acuminate, margin entire, sometimes un- 

 dulate, surface smooth or pubescent, of a pale green. 

 Flowers nearly radical and solitary, on peduncles cur- 

 ved, jointed, colored, with some small scales- Germ 

 inferior, perigone redish or purplish, tube crooked, 

 limb bilabiate, upper lip notched, lower entire, both 

 short and lobular. Six sessile anthers, oblong, ob- 

 tuse, attached to the sides of a large round sessile 

 stigma. Capsul oboval, with six angles, six cells, 



an 



HISTORY — The genus Aristolochia requires a 



thorough investigation and reform, being rather a fa- 

 mily than a genus : two subgenera at least must be 

 made of it. 



1. Glossula. Flow^ers unilabiate and liiTuIar. True 

 type of the genus. 



2. Pistolochia. Flowers bilabiate and ringent. To 

 this belong A, serpentaria, A. ringens, A. bilahia- 

 ta, &c. 



\yhile many species widely deviating from the ge- 

 neric characters must form peculiar genera, such as 

 Siphi^'ia, Flowers not labiate, limb equal triloba. 



tomentosa 



With 



dra, and perhaps Bigelow's A. serpentaria, 



Einomdu. With only five stamina, capsul five 

 Celled, such as j3. pentandra, &c. 



The actual species is by no means very definite as 

 yet. The \ irginia Snakeroot of Commerce is col- 

 lected from half a dozen species or varieties, .9, hat- 



