A R I S T O L O C H I A Clematitis.
Common Birthw ort.
G Y N A N D R I A Hexandria.
G en . C h a r . Stigmas 6. Cal. none. Corolla o f one
tongue-fhaped, entire petal. Capfule inferior, o f
6 cells.
S p e c . C h a r . Leaves , heart-fhaped. Stem eredt.
Flowers' in axillary clutters.
S y n . Ariftolochia Clematitis. Linn. Sp. P i. 1364.
Hudf. FI. An. 394. With. Bot. Arr. 1003. ed. 3.
360. Relh. Cant. 342. Sibth. Ox. 112. Dickf.
Dr. PI. 14.
R A Y appears to have confidered this plant as too doubtful a
native to be admitted into his Synopjis, but he could not be uninformed
of its being found, apparently in a ftate of nature, in
many parts of England. It is generally obferved about the ruins
of nunneries, as at Godftow Oxfordfhire, and Carrow Abbey
near Norwich, from which laft place our fpecimen was fent by
the Rev. Mr. Sutton. The feveral kinds of Ariftolochia were
formerly a principal remedy for fome female diforders.
The root of this fpecies is long, flender, creeping, and perennial.
Stems many, nearly 2 feet high, ere£t, round, ftriated,
fmooth, a little zigzag. Leaves alternate, on footftalks, without
ftipuke, heart-fhaped, entire, fmooth, broad, with many ftrong
veins, the lateral nerves branching in a pedate manner. Flowers
5 or 6 in a duller from the bofom of each leaf, on fhortilh ftalks,
ere£t, pale yellow, appearing from July to September, of a very
lingular form, conlifting of one petal globofe at the bafe with 6
furrows, then funnel-lhaped and terminating in a tongue-like
figure. In the bottom of this petal Hand the ftamina and ftyles,
forming a globular body all together, but the germen is below
the corolla. The very Ihort thick ftamina do really grow out
of the ftyle (which is likewife fhort and thick), fo that this genus
is truly gynandrous, and we fee no reafon for abolilhing that clafs
merely becaufe fome plants have been erroneoufly referred to
it. The ftyle appears to us fimple, with 6 ftigmas, fo that we
have ventured in that refpedt to alter the Linnaean character.
Like other vegetables that increafe much by root, it rarely ripens
its fruit.
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