1132 ASAKACEAE 



green without, dark purple within : sepals broadly ovate or broader than high : prolonga- 

 tions of the style 2-cleft : capsule not seen. [Asarum callifolium Small.] 

 In shady woods, Florida. 



6. Hexastylis arifblia (Michx. ) Small. Leaf-blades hastate, triangular or sometimes 

 ovate-hastate (the basal lobes sometimes with parallel sides), 6-12 cm. long, mostly obtuse 

 or retuse, entire, sometimes with a wide open sinus : petioles usually much longer than the 

 blades : flowers 2-3 cm. long, urn-shaped : hypanthium less than 8 mm. in diameter at the 

 constricted throat : sepals triangular or rounded, broader than long, spreading, purple 

 from within : prolongations of the styles cleft to the top of the stigmas :. capsule slightly 

 distending the hypanthium. [Asarum arifolium Michx. J 



In rich woods, Virginia to Georgia and Alabama. Spring and summer. 



7. Hexastylis Riithii ( Ashe) Small. Leaf -blades hastate to triangular, occasionally 

 slightly rhombic, 8-15 cm. long, obtuse, retuse or abruptly pointed, with a rather narrow 

 sinus : petioles longer than the blades : flowers 2-3 cm. long : hypanthium narrowed to the 

 mouth but not constricted, usually over 10 mm. in diameter at the throat : sepals erect, 

 mostly longer than broad, dull purplish green within : pedicel as long as the flower or 

 much longer : prolongations of the styles notched to the top of the stigmas : capsule barely 

 distending the hypanthium. 



In sandy woods, southwestern Virginia to Tennessee and Alabama. Spring and early summer. 



2. ASARUM L. 



Perennial acaulescent gingerous herbs, with usually manifestly pubescent foliage. 

 Rootstocks elongated, the roots fibrous. Leaves in pairs, deciduous : blades membranous 

 mostly broader than long, cordate at the base. Flowers on pedicels arising from between 

 the petioles. Hypanthium angled. Sepals 3, pubescent without, as long as the hypan- 

 thium or longer, inflexed in the bud. Stamens 12 : filaments longer than the anthers. 

 Ovary inferior : styles united : stigmas terminating the style-column. Capsule inferior, 

 angled. Seeds plump. WILD GINGER. 



Sepals lanceolate-acuminate, longer than the hypanthium. 



Sepals slightly longer than the hypanthium, the tubular portion 4-8 mm. long: species mainly Alle- 



ghenian. 1. A. Canadtnte. 



Sepals much longer than the hypanthium, the tubular portion 10-20 mm. long: 



species campestrian. 2. A. aciiminntum. 



Sepals triangular, merely acute, about as long as the hypanthium. 3. A. reflexum. 



1. Asarum Canadense L. Foliage bright green, pubescent throughout. Leaf- 

 blades thinnish, reniform, 6-15 cm. broad, rounded or abruptly acute at the apex, undu- 

 late, deeply cordate at the base, the sinus closed ; petioles several times longer than the 

 blades, 10-30 cm. long : pedicels rather slender, 1-4 cm. long : hypanthium thinly pubes- 

 cent : sepals erect or spreading, lanceolate, abruptly acuminate, 1-1.5 cm. long, the upper 

 part revolute, thus very slender, 4-8 mm. long, curving upward. 



In rich or rocky woods, New Brunswick to Ontario, south to North Carolina. Spring. 



2. Asarum acuminatum (Ashe) Bicknell. Foliage similar to that of A. Canadense, 

 but more pubescent, at least when young. Leaf-blades membranous, reniform-cordate, and 

 acutely short-pointed or broadly reniform and blunt, 7-14 cm. broad, densely cinereous- 

 tomentulose beneath, the larger nerves usually somewhat bristly : hypanthium pubescent : 

 sepals gradually caudate-acuminate or flagellate-tipped, with the termination recurved- 

 sp reading, 1-2 cm. long, dull brownish purple. 



In rich woods, Wisconsin to Minnesota, south to Tennessee. Spring. 



3. Asarum reflexum Bicknell. Foliage loosely pubescent. Rootstocks more elon- 

 gated and slender than those of A. Canadense. Leaf -blades reniform, 6-14 cm. broad, blunt- 

 pointed, undulate, with a shallow or deep open sinus, the upper surface commonly almost 

 glabrous : flowers markedly smaller than those of A. Canadense : sepals purplish brown, 

 triangular, 8-10 mm. long, early reflexed, each with an obtuse tip 2-4 mm. long. 



In rich woods, chiefly along streams, Connecticut to Iowa, North Carolina and Kansas. Spring. 



3. ARISTOLOCHIA L. 



Herbs, shrubs or twining vines. Leaves alternate : blades entire or lobed, often cor- 

 date, palmately 3-many-nerved. Flowers irregular, on solitary clustered peduncles or 

 racemose, sometimes at the base of the plant, often S-shaped or like a Dutch pipe, variously 

 inflated. Calyx often corolloid. Stamens 6, or rarely 4-10 or more, adnate to a central 

 column : anthers extrorse, opening lengthwise. Ovary inferior, 4-6-celled, with a 4-6 



