Aristolochia foveolata
Content
Description
Twiner up to 10 (-40) m high.
Leaves chartaceous to coriaceous, ovate to lanceolate in outline, sometimes broad-ovate, rarely sub-orbicular, 7-18 (-24) by (3-) 4-8 (-21) cm;
Inflorescences in axils of leaves or cauligerous, often with very short branches, internodes hardly visible and flowers almost fasciculate;
Stamens 6;
Capsules cylindric or obo-void, not angular or ridged, 2.5-4 by 1.5 cm, glabrous (minutely granulate examined with hand lens).
Seeds triangular, c. 5 by 4 mm, not winged, verrucose on both surfaces;
Distribution
Asia-Temperate: Taiwan (Taiwan present), Asia-Tropical: Borneo present (Kalimantan present, Sabah present, Sarawak present); Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Philippines (Philippines present), Catanduanes present, Kuching present, Landak R present, Mt Kinabalu present, NE. Sumatra present, Palawan present, Trengganu present, Upper Rejang R present
China (Taiwan); in Malesia: NE. Sumatra, Malay Peninsula (Trengganu), Borneo (Sabah: Mt Kinabalu, Sandakan; Sarawak: Upper Rejang R. and Kuching; Kalimantan: Landak R.), Philippines (Catanduanes and Palawan). .
Taxonomy
The species resembles A. tagala in leaf shape (usually with cordate base) and the 1-lipped perianth but is easily to distinguish from that species by the palmate nervation of the leaves, the undersurface being distinctly foveolate-reticulate and densely puberulous, the perianth which is not strongly contracted and stipe-like at base, and the immarginate seeds.
Notes
The leaves are rather variable in shape and size (ovate to lanceolate, rarely suborbicular, and I = 7/3, 9/2/5, 12/9, 18/11, 24/21 cm) and leaf base (deeply cordate with auricles sometimes overlapping to cordate or subtruncate). This variability may well occur in one specimen, as was observed in the field and in specimens which I cultivated.
The species is often collected by entomologists as the larvae of the butterfly Trogonoptera brookiana feed on it. Near Berastagi (NE. Sumatra) it is even locally cultivated for this purpose.
The species is often collected by entomologists as the larvae of the butterfly Trogonoptera brookiana feed on it. Near Berastagi (NE. Sumatra) it is even locally cultivated for this purpose.
Citation
Merr. 1923 – In: En. Philip.: 119
LIU & LAI 1980: p. 45. – In: Hsu (ed.), The Rare & Threatened Plants of Taiwan: col. phot.
LIU & LAI 1980 – In: Quart. J. Taiwan Mus.: 247
IGARASHI 1979: Food Pl. Papilionidae: t. 26 (fig. on the lower right) & 27, as Aristolochia sp. 2
DING HOU 1983 – In: Blumea: 227