278 ORDER 102. ARISTOLOCHIACE^E. 



COHOKT 3. APETALJS, 



OR MONOCHLAMYDEOUS ExoGENS. Plants with no corolla, 

 the calyx or perianth green or colored, consisting of a single 

 series of similar organs, or often wholly wanting. 



ORDER OIL ARISTOLOCHIACE^E. BIRTHWORTS. 



Low herbs or climbing shrubs, with alternate leaves and perfect flower t*. 

 Perianth tube adherent to the ovary, brown or dull, valvate in the bud. 

 Stamens 6 to 12, epigynous and adherent to the base of the styles. Ovary 

 6-celled, becoming a 6-celled, many-seeded capsule or berry. Seed albu- 

 minous, embryo minute. Figs. 24, 833. 



1. ASARUM, Tourn. WILD GINGER. Calyx bell-form, regular, 8- 

 cleft. Sta. 12, placed upon the ovaiy, anth. adnate to the middle or sum- 

 mit of the filaments. Style very short, stigma 6-rayed. Fruit fleshy, 

 6-celled, crowned with the calyx. U Acaulescent, with creeping rhizomes 

 and 1 or 2 leaves on each branch. Flowers solitary. 



| Leaves in pairs. Calyx lobe? pointed, reflexed. Ovary wholly adherent No. 1 



Leaves solitary. Calyx lobes obtuse, suberect. Ovary partly free Nos. 2, 3 



1 A. C'iinadviiM; L. Lvs. 2, broad-reniform, on long, opposite, radical petioles with 



the flower between ; sepals greenish-purple, pointed, reflexed ; filaments extended 

 above the anthers. Rich shades. The root is a popular remedy. May, June. 



2 A. Virgfinlcum L. Leaf orbicular-ovate, glabrous, coriaceous, deeply cordate, 



entire, obtuse; flowers subsessile ; culyx short, smooth outside; segments obtuse, 

 dull purple. Rocky soils, Va., Ky., and S. April. 



3 A. arlfolium MX. Leaf broadly hastate with a deep sinus ; fl. 7 9", tubular, soon 



urceolate, lobes short and obtuse. Rich soils, Va., and 8. March May. 



2. ARISTOLOCHIA, Tourn. BIRTHWORT. Calyx tubular, tube vari- 

 ously bent and inflected above the ovary, limb irregular. Anth. 6, subses- 

 sile on the style. Stig. 6-lobed. Caps. 6-celled, oo-seeded. y Caulescent, 

 with alternate leaves and lateral lurid purple flowers. 



Stem erect. Calyx tube sigmoid (L ., twice bent like the letter S) Nos. 1, 2 



Stem climbing, woody. Calyx tube recurved, once bent upward. May, Jn..Nos. 3, 4 



1 A. serpentarla L. Virginia Snake-root. Stem flexuous ; Ivs. petiolate, oblong 



or ovate, thin, cordate, acuminate ; ped. radical, many bracted : cal. tube smoothish, 

 contracted in the midst. Thickets, Pa., S. and W. 818'. June, July. 

 8. liast'ata. Leaves narrowly oblong, auricled at base, short-stalked. S. 



2 A. retlcnlata. N. St. very flexnons ; Ivs. oval, cordate-clasping, with decussating 



lobes, strongly reticulated ; flowers radical, small (5"). La. 1 f. 



3 A. Slplto L'Her. Dutchman's Pipe. Lvs. glabrous, ample, round-reniform ; ped. 



1-flowered, with 1 clasping bract ; flowers If, bent like a siphon or tobacco-pipe, 

 limb spreading. A vigorous climber, 30 40f, in hilly woods, Pa. to Ky., and S. t 



4 A. tomentosa Sims. Leaves downy or hairy beneath, round-cordate, very veiny ; 



ped. solitary, 1-flowered, bractless ; flowers 20", tube yellowish, limb purple, reflexed. 

 throat nearly closed. Banks, 111., and S. 30 40f. May. 



