EMPETRACE^l. 309 



1. ARISTOLOCHIA. Linn. Birthwort. 

 (From the Greek; in allusion to its supposed medicinal virtues.) 

 Perianth tubular, ventricose at base, dilated at the apex and 

 ligulate. Anthers 6, subsessile, inserted on the style. Stigma 

 6-parted or lobed. Capsule 6-sided, 6-celled, many-seeded. 



1. A. Sipho LtHerit.: stem twining; leaves cordate, acute; peduncles 

 1-flowered, furnished with an ovate bract; perianth ascending, the limb 

 3-clefl and equal. 



Mountains. Penn. to Car. June. T}. A vine climbing over trees of large 

 size. Leaves very large, alternate, sprinkled with hairs. Flowers solitary, 

 brown. Dutchman's Pipe. 



2. A. Serpentaria Linn.: stem erect, flexuous; leaves cordate-oblong, 

 acuminate ; peduncles nearly radical ; perianth sigmoid, the orifice 2- 

 lipped. 



Shady woods. N. Y. to Car. June. 1\.. ttoot consisting of numerous 

 coarse fibres. Stem 8 12 inches high, pubescent, geniculate and knotty at 

 base. Flowers purplish-brown, large, at the base of the stem, on crooked scaly 

 peduncles. It possesses valuable medicinal properties. See Big. Med. Bot. 

 ii. 82. Virginia Snakeroot. 



2. ASARUM. Linn. Asarabacca. 



(From the Greek , not, and empa, a land or braid ; because it was rejected 

 from garlands by the ancients.) 



Perianth campanulate, mostly 3-parted. Stamens 12, placed 

 on an epigynous disk. Anthers adnate to the middle of the fil- 

 aments. Ovary inferior ; style short ; stigma 6-parted or lobed. 

 Capsule 6-celled, many-seeded. 



1. A. Canadense Linn.: leaves a terminal pair, broad reniform; peri- 

 anth woolly, cleft to the base ; the segments sublanceolate, reflexed. A. 

 Carolinianum Walt. 



Woods. Can. to Car. W. to Miss. April. 1\.. Stein none or very short. 

 Leaves generally 2, with long and hairy petioles. Flower somewhat campanu- 

 late, solitary, on a short peduncle, sometimes nearly buried in the ground. The 

 root has an agreeable and aromatic flavor. 



Canadian Asarabacca. Wild Ginger. 



2. A. Virginicum Mich. : leaves solitary, cordate, nearly round, coria- 

 ceous ; flower nearly sessile ; perianth externally smooth, short, cam- 

 panulate. 



Rocky woods. N. J. to Car. April. 1\.. Leaves spotted or clouded, smooth. 

 Segments of the perianth obtuse. Very similar in habit to the preceding. 



Virginian Asarabacca. 



ORDER CIX. EMPETRACE^E. CROWBERRIES. 



Flowers dioecious or polygamous. Perianth consisting of 

 several persistent imbricate scales, the innermost of which are 

 sometimes petaloid. Stamens as numerous as the inner scales. 



