434 
HETEROTROPA ASAROIDES. 
allowed them ; but, of course, they must not 
lie allowed to run into confusion, and should 
be finally trained in, before they become set 
to any awkward form. The position of the 
branches ought never to be altered at or near 
the blooming period, as this is certain to dis- 
place the foliage, and if this has not time to 
right itself, the effect of the plant is spoiled. 
It is scarcely possible — nay, as a rule, it may 
be regarded as impossible — to alter the posi- 
tion of a branch of a climbing plant, and yet 
retain the foliage in the same plane ; young 
shoots soon accommodate themselves to the 
position in which they are placed, but with 
older branches this takes longer time to ac- 
complish. Of water, a pretty good supply 
■will be required, at least during growth; this, 
during the season of rest — that is, the winter, 
may, of course, be in some degree limited. 
The branches will require an annual pruning 
and regulation ; this is best seen to in autumn, 
and should consist in removing entirely any 
old worn-out shoots, as well as such parts of 
the younger ones as are unripe and immature. 
If this is done early in autumn, the additional 
exposure to light Avill assist the remaining por- 
tion in ripening completely before the winter 
comes on. It is only from such perfectly 
matured and fully ripened wood, that strong 
vigorous growth, with abundant blossoms, can 
be expected. 
Propagation is to be effected either by seeds, 
when they are obtained, which should be 
sown in pots of light soil, and set in a hotbed; 
or by cuttings of the half-ripened slender 
shoots, planted in sand, and placed in a hot- 
bed. In either case, the sooner — after roots 
are formed — the plants are potted separately 
the better ; and the young plants should be 
nursed on in a warm house or frame until 
they have acquired some strength, when they 
may be treated in the same way as mature 
plants. 
HETEROTROPA ASAROIDES. 
(Decaisne.) 
ASARABACCA- LIKE HETEROTROPA. 
This plant has more singularity than beauty 
to recommend it. It is closely allied to the 
Asarums, or Asarabaccas, of which three or 
four smad hardy herbaceous species are culti- 
vated in botanical collections. The whole 
natural family to which these belong, the 
Aristolochiaceae or Birthwort tribe, is remark- 
able for a peculiar grotesqueness of character 
and luridness or dulness of colouring. In the 
genus Aristolochia, of which there are many 
tine climbing species in cultivation, there are 
some species whose blossoms are exceedingly 
curioiB— long pouch-like bodies, bellied out 
on one side, here contracted, there dilated. 
and presently spreading out like a broad flap, 
or in other cases stretching into a long narrow 
tail, and often curiously chequered in colour. 
The present plant accords with its congeners, 
in the flowers being of a dull hue, and pos- 
sessing a singular conformation. 
Both the Heterotropas, and their allies, the 
Asarums, are small perennial plants. The 
present plant, indeed, does not exceed six 
inches in height, and is of evergreen habit, 
producing two or three leaves from the crown, 
and throwing out on a short stalk, so as to be 
situated close to their base, one of its singular 
blossoms, which lasts a considerable time in 
perfection. From the crown of the plant 
proceed downwards a few short thick fibrous 
fc-> 
roots, and upwards the tuft of leaves, which 
are borne on stalks three inches and a half 
long ; they are cordate, with a deep indenta- 
tion at the base, three to four inches long, 
slightly waved and reflected at the edges, dull 
green and irregularly blotched with lighter 
coloured spots on the upper surface, and 
shining, and having purple veins and blotches 
beneath. The flower is seated at the base of 
the leaves, and is about as large as a walnut, 
and of a cartilaginous texture ; it is perfumed 
somewhat like a ripe apple ; it consists of a 
spheroidal tube, shining on the outside, of a 
dull purple colour marked with grey, and a 
three parted reflected limb, of a darker purple. 
The segments of the limb are large, rounded, 
undulate, and transversely wrinkled ; near the 
throat these wrinkles are drawn up into thin 
wavy edges of a brighter purple, the outer 
ones crested with white ; the throat is half 
closed by a transverse plate of the same struc- 
ture, having a triangular opening in the middle. 
These appearances are pretty well indicated 
in the engraving. 
The Heterotropa is regarded as being the 
same as the Asarum virginicum (Thunberg), 
a plant which is met with both in Virginia 
and in Japan ; this Asarum is recorded to 
have been introduced to this country so long 
