Aristolochia reticulata

Nuttall

Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n.s. 5: 162. 1835.

Common names: Texas Dutchman's-pipe
EndemicIllustrated
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Herbs, erect to sprawling, to 0.4 m. Young stem ribbed, hispid. Leaves: petiole 0.1-0.8 cm. Leaf-blade ovate, 7-12 × 3-6 cm, base sagittate to auriculate, sinus depth 0.5-1.2 cm, apex obtuse or rounded; surfaces abaxially hispid; venation palmate-pinnate. Inflorescences from base of stem, racemes; peduncle bracteolate, 0.5-0.7 cm; bracteoles ovatelanceolate, to 2 mm. Flowers: calyx brown-purple, bent; utricle pendent, pear-shaped to somewhat globose, 0.4-0.5 cm; syrinx indistinct or absent, oblique; tube horizontal, funnel-shaped, 5-7 × 1-3 cm; annulus absent; limb purplish brown, 3-lobed, lobes 0.4-0.6 × 0.5 cm, glabrous; gynostemium 3-lobed, globose, 5-10 mm; anthers 6; ovary 6-locular, 0.5-0.7 cm. Capsule globose, 1.2 × 1-3 cm, dehiscence basipetal; valves 6; septa entire, not attached to valves. Seeds rounded, ovate, 0.3 × 0.3 cm. 2n = 28.


Phenology: Flowering late spring–summer.
Habitat: Moist, sandy soils
Elevation: 30-600 m

Discussion

The dried rhizome of Aristolochia reticulata is sometimes sold as serpentary. It is used as a tonic to calm the stomach, promote urination, and increase perspiration. The active ingredient is aristolochic acid, a potent gastric irritant that, in large doses, can cause respiratory paralysis. The leaves are eaten by larvae of the eastern pipe-vine swallowtail butterfly, Battus philenor philenor (Linnaeus) (W. H. Howe 1975).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"broad" is not a number.

... more about "Aristolochia reticulata"
rounded;obtuse +
Kerry Barringer +  and Alan T. Whittemore +
Nuttall +
red +, green +, brown +  and purple +
sagittate +  and auriculate +
not fleshy +
ovatelanceolate +
merous +  and petaloid +
enlarged +
1cm +  and 3cm +
Texas Dutchman's-pipe +
fan--shaped +
Ark. +, La. +, Okla. +  and Tex. +
30-600 m +
indehiscent +  and loculicidal +
globose +  and 3-lobed +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
Moist, sandy soils +
axillary +  and terminal +
7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br /> (12 cm120 mm <br />0.12 m <br />) +
membranous;leathery +
petiolate +  and simple +
purplish brown +
3-lobed +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (?) +
parietal +, axile +  and placentation +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
Flowering late spring–summer. +
4-6-carpellate +
Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n.s. +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +
ovate +  and rounded +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +
not attached +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
Endemic +  and Illustrated +
procumbent +  and twining +
6 +, 5 +  and 3 +
Endodeca +, Isotrema +  and Siphisia +
cylindric +
Aristolochia reticulata +
Aristolochia +
species +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br />) +
funnel--shaped +
extended +
1cm;3cm +
globose +  and pear-shaped to somewhat +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
erect +  and sprawling +
8 +, 7 +  and 6 +