Aristolochia leprieurii
Content
Description
Sarmentose vine, with thick woody rootstock; branchlets thin, hirsute; pseudostipules lacking. Leaves: petiole thin, more densely hirsute, 1.5-3 cm long; blade chartaceous, triangular, cordiform, 6-12 x 3-6 cm, glabrous above, finely pubescent beneath, apex variable in one plant, base cordate; venation pedate, marginal at base. Flowers axillary, solitary; pedicel thin, pubescent like the petioles, 2-3.5 cm long; ovary more pubescent than pedicel, ± 1 cm long; perianth white, pubescent; utricle whitish green, ovoid, 8-15 x 5-8 mm, upper part with an area of smaller, probably secreting cells; tube dark purple, straight, up to 1.5 cm; limb funnel-shaped, superior lobe triangular, gutter-shaped, up to 2.5 cm long, apex acute, violet, marginally reflexed, fleshy fimbriate inside, throat pale yellow. Fruit about 4 cm long, sometimes with sparse hairs, rostrum up to 1 cm; seeds triangular, 4 x 4 mm, funicle slightly winged, longitudinally protruding.
Distribution
French Guiana present, Guyana present, Portuguesa present, Southern America: Venezuela (Venezuela present)
Venezuela (1 coli., Hahn 4915 (P, US) from Portuguesa), Guyana, French Guiana; 17 collections studied (GU: 1; FG: 15).
Common Name
Creole (French Guiana): Iiane amere; English (French Guiana): bukuti, ulu?ay, uluwu?ay; English (Guyana): mametala
Uses
Entire plant boiled and used externally to reduce fever (from label, A.C. Smith 2831). Medicinally used by the Wayampi people against diarrhoea, also known by the Palikour people and the Creole population, according to Grenand et al. (1987) who treated this species together with Aristolochia mossii S. Moore .