706 ARISTOLOCHIACE^. (BIRTHWORT FAMILY.) 



Style cylindrical, stigma globular, ovules orthotropous. Fruit a pulpj^ 

 1-cellecl, indehiscent, many - seeded berry; seeds minute — Herbs, 

 parasitic on roots (in ours) of Cistus, M'ith short, fleshy stems, beset 

 Avith imbricated scales. 



C. liypoeislis, L. 2f .05 to .15, monacious; stems cylindrical- 

 club-shaped, solitary or numerous. Scales pink to crimson, ovate to 

 elliptical, obtuse, denticulate-ciliate. Flowers subsessile, 5-10 in ^hort^ 

 spike-like heads, the pistillate lateral, the staminate central ; bracts 2 ; 

 calyx white or yellowish, pubescent, the 4 lobes ovate-elliptical, erect; 

 anthers 8; stigma capitate, 8-10-grooved — May and June — On roots 

 of species of Cistus; coast and lower mountains. 



Order LXXXVII. ARISTOLOCHIACE/E, Lindl. 

 (BiRTHwoRT Family.) 



Hevhs^ loith lyerfect flowers^ the lurid^ consyicuous jperi- 

 qoiiium superior^ {in ours) irregular, undivided, the ovary 

 h-celled, forming a capsule; the anthers longitudinally 

 dehiscent — Stamens (in onrs) 6, adnate to style ; placenta* 

 central, many-ovulecl, ovnles anatropous, with tliickened 

 raphe; embryo small, at base of fleshy albnmen. Leaves 

 heart'Shaped at base, entire, alternate ^ — A family of tonic, 

 stimulant plants. 



ARISTOLOCHIA, L. Birthwort. 



Perigonium tubular, dilated above ovary, the apex generally ligil- 

 late. Style short, with 6 stigmas. Ovules in two rows on the placenta. . 

 Capsule leathery, umbilicate at tip with the scar of the limb of the 

 perigonium, septicidal, G-valvcd at base or toward apex. Seeds in one 

 row, strophiolate — Herbs, sometimes climbing. 



* Limh of 2^erigonium not auricled at 'base. 



t St€77is clwibrnxf. Ttihe of ]jerigonium curved. 



1. A. altissima, Desf. 2f 3 to 5; root fibrous; stem 6-angled, 

 often as thich as a finger. Leaves persistent, glossy, glabrous, short- 

 petioled, cordate-ovate, acute or obtusish, .03 to .08 long, auricles 

 rounded. Peduncles thrice as long as x^etiole; flowers solitary, .02 to 

 .03 long, rusty-purple, Avith globular utricle, curved tube, and ovate or 

 oblong lip, much shorter than tube; capsule ollong, .025 to .03 long, 

 .015 to .018 broad, pendulous — April and May — Rocky and shady 

 places ; Phoenician coast, Lebanon, and Antilebanon. 



1 1 Stems not climting. Tube of 2^erigonium straight or strongly irecurved. 



2. A. parvifolia, S. et Sm. % .1 to .25; root-stock fusiform; 

 stems .001 thick, procumbent or ascending, leafy. Leaves .01 to .015 

 long, short-petioled, puberulent at lower surface, cordate-ovate, with 

 somewhat 4-anglcd sinus, and rounded auricles. Flowers dusky-pur- 

 ple, very short-peduncled, solitary in upper axils; utricle ovate, tube 

 .01 to .015 long, Ujj linear-lanceolate, .03 long; capsule sjyJierical, .01 in 

 diameter — May and June — Phoenician plain; Jerusalem; Lebanon to 

 1300 m. ; Amanus. 



