Asarum caudatum

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Asarum caudatum

Secure  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Piperales
Family: Aristolochiaceae
Genus: Asarum
Species:
A. caudatum
Binomial name
Asarum caudatum
Synonyms[2]
  • Asarum hookeri Fielding & Gardner
  • Asarum rotundifolium Raf.

Asarum caudatum (British Columbia wild ginger, western wild ginger, or long-tailed wild ginger) is a plant native to rich moist forests of western North America. It has heart-shaped leaves and a three-lobed purplish flower.

Description

Growing from a long

hirsute (hairy), cup-shaped, and brown-purple to green-yellow, terminating in three, long, gracefully curved lobes.[3][5]

Similar species include A. hartwegii, A. lemmonii, and A. marmoratum.[5]

  • Flowers
    Flowers
  • Leaves
    Leaves
  • Leaves close up
    Leaves close up

Etymology

Caudatum comes from the

calyx
.

Distribution and habitat

Asarum caudatum is found in British Columbia,

Meziadin Lake.[8] It is a typical herb found in the understory of mixed conifer forests under 670 metres (2,200 ft) in elevation, and is often a dominant plant.[9][10]

Ecology

A. caudatum reproduces rhizomatously, meaning many mats are formed by one

cross-pollination is rare. Ants are attracted by a fatty appendage attached to the seed.[11] The ants carry the entire package back to their colonies. The seed is often dropped outside the nest once the ant realizes only the appendage is edible. Due to the costs of producing seeds with an appendage to attract ants, it is more energetically favorable for the plant to reproduce rhizomatously.[4]

Conservation

Asarum caudatum is not listed a species of concern. However, the habitat in which it is native is threatened in some regions by logging and other land uses.

Toxicity

Members of the family Aristolochiaceae contain aristolochic acid, which has been recognized as a carcinogen.[12]

Uses

The root is edible.[13] Native Americans used the plant for various medicinal purposes.[13]

Some describe using A. caudatum as a ginger substitute[5] and as a tea with medicinal properties. In a study on its effects on fungus, A. caudatum had antifungal properties when tested against nine fungal species.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Asarum caudatum". NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe. Retrieved 2007-12-15.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species, retrieved 5 March 2016
  3. ^ a b c Whittemore, Alan T.; Mesler, Michael R.; Lu, Karen L. (2006). "Asarum caudatum". Flora of North America. Vol. 3. New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  4. ^ a b c US Forest Service Fire Ecology
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-0-375-40233-3
    .
  6. ^ "Asarum caudatum - Plant Finder". www.missouribotanicalgarden.org.
  7. ^ "Calflora: Asarum caudatum". Calflora. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  8. ^ https://inaturalist.ca/observations/98150084 Western Wild Ginger at inaturalist.ca
  9. ^ "Plant Propagation Protocol for Asarum caudatum" (PDF). University of Washington. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  10. ^ Mesler, Michael R.; Lu, Karen. "Asarum caudatum". Jepson eFlora. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  11. ^ "Wild Ginger". Evergreen.edu. The Evergreen State College. Archived from the original on 25 September 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  12. PMID 12426949
    .
  13. ^
    OCLC 1073035766
    .
  14. PMID 7898123
    .

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asarum_caudatum&oldid=1220349051"