ASAKACEAE 1131 



Acaulescent herbs : calyx regular, persistent : capsule fleshy. 



Ovary superior : filaments shorter than the anthers : styles distinct : leaves persistent. 



1. HEXASTYLIS. 



Ovary inferior : filaments longer than the anthers : styles united : leaves deciduous. 2. ASARUM. 

 Caulescent herbs or vines : calyx irregular, deciduous : capsule dry. 3. ARISTOLOCHIA. 



1. HEXASTYLIS Kaf. 



Perennial evergreen, acaulescent gingerous-aromatic herbs, with branching rootstocks 

 and thick fleshy roots. Leaves usually 1 every year : blades leathery, varying from subor- 

 bicular to triangular, entire or crenulate, cordate, often mottled. Flowers solitary on pedi- 

 cels, axillary to a bract. Hypanthium glabrous without, turbinate, campanulate or urn- 

 shaped, terete. Sepals 3, persistent, valvate. Stamens 12: filaments shorter than the 

 anthers or wanting. Ovary 6-celled, mainly free. Styles 6, distinct, prolonged beyond 

 the extrorse stigmas, the tips 2-cleft. Ovules numerous, horizontal or pendulous. Cap- 

 sule 6-celled, leathery, enveloped in the hypanthium. Seeds flattened. WILD GINGER. 



Leaf-blades mostly of an ovate or suborbicular type. 



Hypanthium turbinate, at least during anthesis. 1. H. heterophytta. 



Hypanthium campanulate, cylindric-campanulate or urn-shaped. 



Flowers 2.5-5 cm. long. 2. H. Shuttleworthii. 



Flowers 1-2.5 cm. long. 



Hypanthium campanulate at maturity : sepals about % as long as the hy- 

 panthium. 3. H. Virginica. 

 Hypanthium urn-shaped at maturity : sepals barely % as long as the hy- 

 panthium. 



Leaf-blades entire : flowers 1-1.5 cm. long. 4. H. Mcmmingeri. 



Leaf-blades erose-crenulate : flowers 1.5-2.5 cm. long. 5. H. caUtfolia. 



Leaf-blades mostly of a hastate type. 



Hypanthium constricted at the throat : sepals spreading. 6. H. arifolia. 



Hypanthium not constricted at the throat : sepals erect. 7. H. Ruthii. 



1. Hexastylis heterophylla (Ashe. ) Small. Leaf-blades orbicular-reniform or 

 triangular-ovate, 5-10 cm. long, acute, or sometimes rounded or retuse at the apex, with a 

 slightly open sinus : petioles as long as the blades or twice as long : flowers 1-1.5 cm. long : 

 hypanthium turbinate, at least during anthesis : sepals 8-12 mm. broad, often nearly as 

 long as the hypanthium, crisped, orange, purple or brown-purple without, lighter within : 

 prolongations of the styles very short, barely notched : capsule hardly distending the 

 hypanthium at maturity : seeds oval. 



In mountain woods, Virginia and West Virginia, south to Georgia and Alabama. Spring. 



2. Hexastylis Shuttlew<5rthii ( J. Britten) Small. Leaf-blades ovate to suborbicular 

 or rhombic-orbicular, 5-8 cm. long, apiculate or obtuse, with an open or closed sinus : 

 petioles as long as the blades or much longer: flowers 2.5-5 cm. long: hypanthium 

 cylindric-campanulate : sepals 1.5-2 cm. broad, often abruptly acute, mottled within : 

 pedicel shorter than the diameter of the flower : prolongations of the style stout, barely 

 notched at the apex : capsule hardly distending the hypanthium : seeds triangular in out- 

 line. 



In high-mountain woods, Virginia to Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama. Spring and summer. 



3. Hexastylis Virginica (L. ) Small. Leaf-blades ovate or rarely orbicular-ovate, 

 4-9 cm. long, mostly obtuse or retuse, usually with an open sinus : petioles as long as the 

 blades or twice as long : flowers 1.5-2 cm. long : hypanthium campanulate : sepals less 

 than 1 cm. broad, barely ^ as long as the hypanthium, spreading, usually purplish and 

 sometimes mottled within : pedicel about as long as the flower : prolongations of the style, 

 stout, barely notched : capsule only slightly distending the hypanthium : seeds oblong. 

 [Asarum Virginicum L.] 



In woods, Virginia and West Virginia, south to South Carolina and Tennessee. Spring. 



4. Hexastylis Memmingeri (Ashe) Small. Leaf -blades suborbicular to ovate, 4-7 

 cm. long, mostly obtuse or retuse, sometimes mottled, with a slightly open sinus : petioles 

 about as long as the blades or much longer : flowers 1-1.5 cm. long, urn-shaped : 

 hypanthium more or less constricted at the throat : sepals rarely 'over 3 mm. long, ob- 

 tuse : pedicel as long as the flowers or shorter : prolongations of the styles slender, 

 usually deeply cleft : capsule conspicuously distending the hypanthium : seeds sharply 

 triangular. 



In sandy woods, Virginia and West Virginia to Georgia. Spring and early summer. 



5. Hexastylis callifolia Small. Leaf-blades ovate, 5-9 cm. long, obtuse or some- 

 times acutish, finely undulate or crenulate, rarely mottled, deeply cordate at the base : 

 petioles 2-3 times longer than the blades, sparingly pubescent : bracts reniform, ciliate : 

 pedicel as long as the flower, or much shorter : flower urn-shaped, 1.5-2.5 cm. long, dark 



