574  Structure  of  As  arum  Canadense,  L.  {ADeci^be^Sk" 
STRUCTURE  OF  ASARUM  CANADENSE,  L.  _ 
By  Edson  S.  Bastin. 
This  pretty  little  plant,  commonly  called  Wild  Ginger,  is  not 
uncommon  in  the  rich  woods  of  the  northern  United  States.  It 
also  occurs  as  far  southward,  along  the  *  Alleghanies,  as  South 
Carolina.  It  is  a  modest  perennial  herb,  producing  rhizomes  which 
creep  extensively  near  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  which  branch 
repeatedly,  giving  rise  to  new  plants.  Thus,  as  in  the  case  of  Podo- 
phyllum, the  plants  are  commonly  found  growing  in  dense  patches. 
The  rhizomes  are  somewhat  quadrangular,  marked  at  intervals  of 
about  12  mm.  with  prominent,  more  or  less  oblique  scale  scars,  and 
producing  on  their  inferior  surface,  mostly  from  the  nodes,  small 
clusters  of  slender,  nearly  simple  rootlets  averaging  60  mm.  in 
length.  The  rhizomes  possess  an  aromatic  odor,  and  besides 
some  bitterness,  a  pungently  aromatic  taste,  reminding  one  of 
ginger,  hence  the  popular  name  of  the  plant. 
The  end  of  the  rhizome  rises  obliquely  to  form  the  very  short 
above-ground  stem,  and  this  bears  two  long-petiolate,  exstipulate 
leaves,  whose  blades  are  thin,  broadly  reniform,  entire-margined  and 
slightly  but  distinctly  pointed  at  the  apex.  They  attain  a  transverse 
diameter  of  from  10  to  12  cm.,  are  deep-green  and  silky-lustrous 
by  reason  of  a  minute  pubescence  on  the  upper  surface,  and  are 
lighter  colored  and  prominently  veiny  below. 
From  between  the  two  leaf-bases  issues  a  single  pedunculate, 
nodding,  dull-purple  flower,  which,  together  with  the  peduncle, 
is  densely  covered  on  the  outside  with  a  woolly  pubescence.  The 
calyx  is  rather  fleshy,  with  its  tube  adnate  to  the  ovary,  and  a  three- 
parted  limb  the  segments  of  which,  in  the  bud,  have  their  tips 
inflexed,  but  which,  when  the  flower  is  in  full  bloom  are  wholly 
recurved. 
The  corolla  in  this  as  in  all  other  species  of  the  Aristolochiaceae 
is  wanting. 
The  andrcecium  consists  of  twelve  stamens  arranged  in  two  whorls 
of  six  each,  and  the  members  of  the  outer  are  somewhat  shorter 
than  those  of  the  inner  whorl.  The  stamens  are  colored  like  the 
calyx  and  each  is  provided  with  a  short,  thickish,  outwardly-curved 
filament  and  a  two-celled,  adnate,  longitudinally  dehiscent,  extrorse 
anther,  whose  connective  is  conspicuously  prolonged  and  pointed. 
