ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
 
 ILPIN INFORMATION ON    Aristolochia serpentaria
 
 
 CLASS:    DICOTYLEDENAE
 ORDER:    ARISTOLOCHIALES
 FAMILY:   ARISTOLOCHIACEAE
 SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Aristolochia serpentaria
 AUTHORITY:  L.
 
 COMMON NAMES:
    BIRTHWORT
    VIRGINIA SNAKEROOT
 
 SYNONOMY:   None
 
 PLANTS CODE: ARSE3
 
 NATURAL COMMUNITIES:
     FOREST
       UPLAND FOREST
         DRY-MESIC
         MESIC
       FLOODPLAIN FOREST
         MESIC
       THICKETS
 
 
 SAF FOREST COVER TYPE:
     CENTRAL
        Upland oak
           White/Black/Northern Red-  Oak
 
 NATURAL DIVISION:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 COUNTIES:
   ALEXANDER       CHRISTIAN       CLARK           CLINTON         COLES
   CRAWFORD        CUMBERLAND      DOUGLAS         DUPAGE          EDGAR
   FAYETTE         FRANKLIN        FULTON          GALLATIN        GREENE
   HAMILTON        HARDIN          JACKSON         JOHNSON         KANE
   KENDALL         LASALLE         LAWRENCE        MCDONOUGH       MCLEAN
   MACON           MASSAC          MENARD          MONROE          MONTGOMERY
   PEORIA          PERRY           PIATT           POPE            RANDOLPH
   RICHLAND        ST. CLAIR       SALINE          SANGAMON        UNION
   VERMILION       WABASH          WILL            WILLIAMSON
 
 GROWTH FORM:  Dicot-herb
 
 TAXONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS:
    ROOTS:  Adventitious   (rhizomes)
    LEAF ARRANGEMENT:   Alternate
    LEAF TYPE:   Simple
    LEAF MARGIN:   Lobed  (palmately)
    LEAF VENATION:  Pinnate
    LEAF SHAPE:       Hastate
    INFLORESCENCE:   Solitary- few
    FLOWER MEROUS:  3
    FLOWER STRUCTURE:   Incomplete  (no petals)   Irregular
    FLOWER COLOR:   Violet   Others
    FLOWER PLACEMENT:  Epigynous
    FRUIT:   Capsule
 
 DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC COMMENTS:
     Leaves ovate or ovate-oblong, often more than 2 cm. broad at mid-point.
 
 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
     ORIGIN:   Native
 
 POPULATION DYNAMICS:
     STATE STATUS: Not listed
     FEDERAL STATUS: Not listed
     COMMONNESS:  Occasional
     ENDEMIC:   NOT-ENDEMIC
 
 BIOLOGIC:
     HABIT:   Forb
     LIFE CYCLE:   Perennial
     REPRODUCTION:   Sexual   Vegetative
     FLOWERING PERIOD:
         MONTH BEGINNING-      5         MONTH END-      7
     TROPHIC STATUS:  Autotrophic
     SEX:      Perfect
 
 ECODISTRIBUTION COMMENTS:
     Rich or rocky lowland or upland woods.  Generally on somewhat dry
     or well-drained slopes and ravines.  Often calcareous woods-  prunus
     virginiana, Quercus Alba, Tilia americana
 
 ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:
     GROWTH OF SPECIES IN VARIOUS CONDITIONS:
          GRAVEL         No data entered    SAND           No data entered
          SANDY LOAM     No data entered    LOAM           No data entered
          CLAY LOAM      No data entered    CLAY           No data entered
          DENSE CLAY     No data entered    ORGANIC SOIL   No data entered
          NEUTRAL pH     No data entered    ACIDIC SOIL    No data entered
          EXTREMELY ACID No data entered    SALINE SOIL    No data entered
          SODIC SOIL     No data entered    SODIC-SALINE   No data entered
          ROCKY OUTCROPS No data entered    GENTLE SLOPES  Good
          MODERATE SLOPE No data entered    STEEP SLOPES   No data entered
     HABITAT:   Moist   Dry
 
 FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:    No data entered
 HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DATA:
 
     WILD HERBS:   Medicinal
 
 HUMAN FACTOR COMMENTS:
     Fragrant root stocks smelling like turpentine or menthol
     were used medicinally as a bitter tonic.
 
 WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK INFORMATION:   No data entered
 
 REVEGETATION PLANTINGS:    No data entered
 
 
 REFERENCES:
Mohlenbrock, R. H., ed.  1975.  Guide to the vascular flora of Illinois.
     Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.  494 pp.
Steyermark, J. A.  1963.  Flora of Missouri.  Iowa State University Press, Ames.
     1725 pp.
Swink, F., and G. S. Wilhelm.  1979.  Plants of the Chicago region.  Third ed.
     The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois.  922 pp.
Gleason, H. A.  1952.  The new Britton and Brown illustrated flora of the
     northeastern United States and adjacent Canada.  3 vols.  The New York
     Botanical Garden, New York.
 
 END OF DATA FOR SPECIES  Aristolochia serpentaria
 
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 ILPIN was developed by Louis Iverson*, with data compiled by David Ketzner and Jeanne Karnes
 Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign, IL 61820
     *currently employed by USDA Forest Service, 359 Main Rd., Delaware, OH 43015