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Birthwort family
Aristolochiaceae
ウマノスズクサ科
Aristolochia and Asarum species are native to Japan. The flowers have distinctive morphology that attracts and temporarily traps insects for pollination. Known as the host plant for Chinese windmill butterfly larvae, and the coevolution between Luehdorfia butterflies and Asarum is also well documented.
Key Characteristics
- ●Flowers lack petals; calyx is petaloid and often malodorous
- ●Inner wall of tubular flowers bears hairs that temporarily trap insects for pollination
- ●Leaves simple, entire, often cordate
- ●Contains aristolochic acid (nephrotoxic and carcinogenic)
Morphological Traits
A family may include species with different trait values — multiple values indicate the range within the family.
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Pinnate / Palmate
Leaf margin
Entire
Growth form
Shrub / Herb / Vine
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Leaf dissection
Dissected / Undivided
Stipules
Absent
Aromatic
Aromatic / Foetid
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic / Zygomorphic
Petal count
3 petals / 6 petals
Ovary position
Inferior / Half-inferior
Stamen count
3-4
Plant sex
Hermaphrodite
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Magnoliids > Piperales > Aristolochiaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous (ca. 90 Ma onwards)
Representative Genera
Related Evolution Events
- ・Evolution of insect-trapping pollination mechanisms
- ・Coevolution with butterflies such as Byasa alcinous and Luehdorfia
Plants in Birthwort family on this site
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