40 
ASARUM ARIFOLIUM. 
Arum-leaved Asarabacca. 
DODECANDRIA MONOGYNIA— Nat. Ord. ARISTOLOCHTJE. 
Gen. Char. — Calyx 3- seu 4-fidus, germini insidens. Corolla nulla. Cap- 
sula coriacea^ coronata. 
Asarum arifolium ; foliis subhastato-cordatis, calyce tubuloso, infra lim- 
bum brevissime trifidum coarctatum. — Mich. 
A. arifolium, Michaux, Ft. Bor. Am. v. i. p. 279. — Pursh, Fl. of N. Am. v. ii. 
p. 596. 
The root I have not seen. Stem extremely short, and scarcely rising above 
the surface of the ground. One single leaf terminates this short stem, 
which is cordato-hastate, subcoriaceous, smooth and shining, slightly un- 
dulated, the margin entire, dark green, with large spots or blotches of a 
paler hue ; petiolated, the petiole cylindrical. From the base of the 
petiole, through a small longitudinal cleft, appears the solitary jUyrver, 
scarcely an inch long, drooping, on a short curved stalk. Perianth single, 
oblongo-urceolate, of a thick coriaceous substance, of a dull green colour, 
and veined ; the limb is trifid, with the lobes recurved. The inside of the 
tubular part is velvety, and of a deep purple colour. 
Stamens 12 in number, surrounding and concealing the style ; filaments 
purplish, subulate, thick, having on each side, attached to neai'ly their 
whole length, a linear oblong cell of an anther. Pollen subquadrangu- 
lar. Germen scarcely at all inferior. Style short, thick, columnar, ter- 
minated by a stigma with 6, nearly erect, bifid rays, brownish, spotted 
with purple. At the back of each of these rays is an ovate, purple, fleshy 
gland or swelling. 
That this is the Asarum arifolium of Michaux, there 
can be, I should think, no doubt, since it so fully accords with 
the character given of that plant in the Flora Boi^eali- Ame- 
ricana of that author. Living plants were sent to our garden 
from the Savannah by Mr Wilson ; and they flowered with 
us in the summer. 
VOL. I. 
