Aristolochia debilis; birthwort

Japanese: ウマノスズクサ(馬の鈴草) - ウマノスズクサ（英語表記）Aristolochia debilis; birthwort

A perennial vine of the Aristolochiaceae family that grows in fields and forests. Its long roots run horizontally underground, sprouting here and there. Its stems are green, thin, but strong. They grow upright at first, but soon get entangled and die in winter. Its long, heart-shaped leaves grow alternately and have petioles. In July and August, long, slender flower stalks emerge from the leaf axils, producing greenish-purple flowers that hang horizontally. The perianth is a long, slender tube with a spherical swelling at the base and a pointed triangular tip. The six styles are united to form a short, fleshy pillar with six anthers without filaments around it. Its name comes from the fact that the fruit resembles a bell worn around a horse's neck. The roots and fruit are dried and used as a traditional Chinese medicine. The closely related Aristolochia nigricans is entirely hairy, and the tubular perianth is extremely curved.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

ウマノスズクサ科の多年生つる植物で，原野や林のなかなどに生える。根は長く地中を横にはい，ところどころに芽を出す。茎は緑色で細いが強い。初め直立するが，すぐ他物にからみつき冬に枯れる。細長いハート形の葉は互生して，葉柄があり，7～8月に葉腋から細長い花柄を出して，緑紫色の花を横向きにつける。花被は基部が球形にふくれた細長い筒状で，先は三角形でとがる。6本の花柱が合一して多肉の短い柱となり，周囲に花糸のない葯 (やく) が6個つく。果実が馬の首にかける鈴に似ているところからこの名がある。根および果実を乾燥したものは漢方薬とされる。近縁のオオバウマノスズクサは全体に毛があり，管状の花被は極端に湾曲する。

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