538 



ARISTOLOCHIACEAE. 



I'irginicum. 

 macrantlnim. 

 ari folium. 



Five genera and about 200 species, of wide distribution in tropical and temperate regions. 

 Acaulescent herbs; perianth regular, 3-lobed, persistent: filaments distinct. i. Asarum. 



Leafy erect herbs or twining vines; perianth irregular, deciduous; anthers sessile, adnate to the 

 stigma. 2. Aristolochia. 



i. ASARUM L. Sp. PI. 442. 1753. 



Acaulescent perennial often clustered herbs, with slender aromatic branched rootstocks, 

 thick fibrous-fleshy roots, long-petioled cordate ovate hastate or orbicular entire leaves, and 

 solitary large peduncled purple-brown or mottled flowers, borne very near or upon the 

 ground. Calyx campanulate or hemispheric, adnate to the ovary at least below, regularly 

 3-lobed, the lobes valvate. Stamens 12, inserted on the ovary; filaments short, stout; con- 

 nective of the anther-sacs more or less continued be\-ond them as a tip. Ovary partly or 

 wholly inferior, 6-celled, the parietal placentae intruded; ovules numerous, horizontal or 

 pendulous. Capsule coriaceous, crowned by the withering-persistent calyx and stamens, 

 subglobose or hemispheric, at length bursting irregularly or longitudinally dehiscent. Seeds 

 compressed. [The ancient name, meaning obscure.] 



About 15 species, natives of the north temperate zone. Besides the following, 3 others occur in 

 western North America. The species are known as Asarabacca. 



Calyx-lobes lanceolate, acuminate; st3*le 6-lobed; plant pubescent. i. A. Canadense. 



Calyx -lobes short, rounded; styles 6, each a-cleft; plants glabrous or nearly so. 



Anthers not pointed; leaves orbicular or broadly ovate; caH-x campanulate. 

 Calyx 6" -8" long, contracted at the throat. 2. A 



Calyx 8" -20" long, not contracted at the throat. 3. A 



Anthers pointed; leaves or some of them hastate; calyx urn-shaped. 4. A 



i. Asarum Canadense L. Wild 

 Ginger. (Fig. 1277.) 



Asarum Canadense L. Sp. PI. 442. 1753. 



Finely pubescent, petioles rather slender, 6'- 

 12' long. Leaves commonly 2 to each plant, 

 reniform, thin, short-pointed at the apex, \'-~/ 

 broad, dark green, not mottled, the basal sinus 

 deep and open ; flower slender-peduncled from 

 between the bases of the petioles, i' broad or 

 more when expanded, brownish purple; calyx 

 ovoid, its tube completely adnate to the ovary, 

 its lobes inflexed in the bud, ovate-lanceolate, 

 acute or long-acuminate, spreading, equalling 

 or longer than the tube; filaments longer than 

 the anthers; style 6-lobed; stigmas radiating on 

 the lobes, capsule 6 // -S // in diameter. 



In rich woods, New Brunswick to Manitoba, 

 south to North Carolina, Missouri and Kansas. 

 Ascends to 3000 ft. in Virginia. Called also Canada 



* -" i"-,' -"-- ^^^ j Snakeroot. April-May. Perhaps includes 2 species. 



/ j? II "^a^^s^ Rootstocks with the flavor of ginger. 



2. Asarum Virginicum L,. Virginia Asarum. (Fig. 1278.) 



Asarum I'irginicum L. Sp. PI. 442. 1753. 



Rootstocks slender, scaly, clustered, simple or 

 branched. Leaves 1-3 to each plant or branch, 

 coriaceous, glabrous, orbicular or broadly ovate, 

 rounded at the apex, \Yz'-^' wide, usually mot- 

 tled, .the basal sinus open or nearly closed; peti- 

 oles pubescent along one side or glabrous, 3 / -7 / 

 long, ascending; flower short-peduncled, purple, 

 6 // -8 // long; calyx campanulate, narrowed at 

 the throat, its tube adnate to the lower part of 

 the ovary, free above, the lobes ovate or nearly 

 semicircular, about one-third as long as the 

 tube; peduncle %'-%' long; filaments much 

 shorter than the anthers; anthers not pointed; 

 styles 6, each 2-lobed, the stigmas sessile below 

 the lobes; capsule hemispheric, about 4 // high. 



In rich woods, Virginia and West Virginia to 

 Georgia and South Carolina. Ascends to 2500 ft in 

 Virginia. May-June. 



