BIRTHWORT FAMILY. Aristolocbiaceae. 



BIRTHWORT FAMILY. AristolocMacece. 



A small family of twining or low herbs, having per- 

 fect flowers with six or more stamens and a pistil. The 

 leaves stemmed, and either alternate or proceeding from 

 the root. The flower-cup or calyx, without petals, 

 united with the ovary or fruit receptacle, and lobed or 

 irregular. Assisted in the process of fertilization by 

 various smaller insects. 



The two long-stemmed deep green veiny 

 leaves soft wooll y and heart-Shaped, their 

 Canadense stems hairy ; the flower with three dis- 

 Brown-purple tinct pointed brownish or madder purple 

 April-May divisions to the calyx which is closely 

 united to the solid seed receptacle or ovary, green out- 

 side ; the cup white below marked by a hexagon in pur- 

 ple-brown. A curious woodland plant whose odd flower 

 is half concealed by its low position and its sober color 

 which not infrequently resembles the leaf-mould just 

 beneath it. Its proximity to the ground and the fre- 

 quent visits of the fungus gnats and the early flesh-flies 

 suggest that these have most to do with the fertilization 

 of the plant. 6-12 inches high. Common in rich woods 

 from Me., south to N. Car., west to Mo. and Kan. 

 Asarum "^ sou thern species with evergreen leaves 



arifolium arrow-heart-shaped, and urn-shaped flow- 



tireen-purple ers dull green outside, dull purple-brown 

 April-June inside, with three short blunt lobes. One 

 leaf only put forth each year. In woods from Va. , south 

 to Tenn., Ala., and Fla. 



