Asarum caudatum

Lindley

Edwards's Bot. Reg. 17: footnote after plate 1399. 1831.

EndemicIllustrated
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Rhizomes horizontal, shallow, internodes (0.5-) 1.5-6.5 cm. Leaves: petiole 7.5-17 cm, sparsely crisped-hirsute. Leaf-blade not variegate, cordate, 3-8.5 × 4.5-12 cm, apex usually obtuse, occasionally broadly acute; surfaces abaxially sparsely appressed-hirsute, at least proximally, adaxially glabrous or sparsely appressed-hirsute, marginal hairs perpendicular to margin or curved toward apex. Flowers horizontal; peduncle 1.5- calyx-tube cylindric, externally brown-purple, rarely greenish, hirsute, internally white, usually with median purple stripe, with usually purple, rarely white hairs; distal portion of sepal spreading or weakly (rarely strongly) reflexed at anthesis, (11-) 30-75 mm, apex filiform-attenuate, abaxially purple or greenish, sparsely hirsute, adaxially purple, puberulent with crisped purple hairs; pollen-sacs 1.5-2 mm, sterile tip of connective on inner stamens purple, 0.5-1 mm, shorter than pollen-sacs. 2n = 26.


Phenology: Flowering spring–summer (Apr–Jul).
Habitat: Understory of conifer forests, usually in mesic or wet places
Elevation: 0-1200(-2200) m

Distribution

V3 1091-distribution-map.gif

B.C., Calif., Idaho, Mont., Oreg., Wash.

Discussion

In most populations of Asarum caudatum, the distal portion of the sepal is spreading or weakly reflexed and 30-75 mm. A single population south of Mt. Shasta, California, has the distal sepals strongly reflexed and unusually short, often as little as 1.1 cm. Flowers of these plants superficially resemble those of A. lemmonii; they differ in being horizontal, not descending as in A. lemmonii, and in the filiform-attenuate sepals.

Native Americans used Asarum caudatum medicinally to treat headaches, intestinal pain, knee pain, indigestion, boils, tuberculosis, and colic, and as a general tonic (D. E. Moerman 1986).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

Using "peduncle 1.5-calyx-tube coloration" as property chain is not permitted during the annotation process. Using "peduncle 1.5-calyx-tube coloration" as property chain is not permitted during the annotation process.Using "peduncle 1.5-calyx-tube coloration or density" as property chain is not permitted during the annotation process.Using "peduncle 1.5-calyx-tube pubescence" as property chain is not permitted during the annotation process.Using "peduncle 1.5-calyx-tube shape" as property chain is not permitted during the annotation process."broad" is not a number.

... more about "Asarum caudatum"
greenish +  and purple +
puberulent +  and hirsute +
filiform-attenuate;acute;obtuse +
Alan T. Whittemore +, Michael R. Mesler +  and Karen L. Lu +
Lindley +
merous +  and petaloid +
tubular +
enlarged +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br />) +
fan--shaped +
B.C. +, Calif. +, Idaho +, Mont. +, Oreg. +  and Wash. +
0-1200(-2200) m +
sessile +  and petiolate +
indehiscent +  and loculicidal +
Understory of conifer forests, usually in mesic or wet places +
crisped +
axillary +  and terminal +
with weak longitudinal ribs +  and smooth +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (6.5 cm65 mm <br />0.065 m <br />) +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (8.5 cm85 mm <br />0.085 m <br />) +
leathery;membranous +
petiolate +  and simple +
2-ranked +  and alternate +
parietal +, axile +  and placentation +
crisped-hirsute +
7.5 cm75 mm <br />0.075 m <br /> (17 cm170 mm <br />0.17 m <br />) +
Flowering spring–summer (Apr–Jul). +
4-6-carpellate +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
Edwards's Bot. Reg. +
purple +  and red +
distinct +
reflexed +  and spreading +
Endemic +  and Illustrated +
appressed-hirsute +  and glabrous +
Asarum caudatum +
species +
deciduous +  and perennial +