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Asarum wagneri

green-flower wild ginger, long-tail wild ginger, wagner's wild ginger

asaret du Canada, Canada wild ginger, Canadian wild ginger, gingembre sauvage

Rhizomes

horizontal, ± deeply buried, internodes 0.5-2.1 cm.

horizontal, shallow, internodes 1.0-3.5 cm.

Leaves

blade not variegate, broadly reniform to cordate-reniform, 3-8 × 4-11 cm, apex obtuse to rounded (broadly acute);

surfaces abaxially sparsely hirsute, adaxially sparsely hirsute only along veins, marginal hairs mostly curved toward apex.

blade not variegate, cordate-reniform to reniform, 4-8(-20) × 8-14(-21.5) cm, apex rounded or obtuse;

surfaces abaxially appressed-hirsute, usually sparsely so, adaxially appressed-hirsute, at least along main veins, marginal hairs perpendicular to margin or curved toward apex.

Flowers

erect or ascending;

peduncle 0.8- calyx tube subglobose to cylindric-urceolate or urceolate, externally light green, sparsely to moderately hirsute, internally white or light green, bordered and occasionally striped with purple, with purple hairs;

distal portion of sepal spreading perpendicularly from base at anthesis, bent abruptly upward at midpoint, 8-20 mm, apex filiform-acuminate, abaxially white to pale green, sparsely villous to villous, adaxially white or light green, at least distally, bordered with purple and occasionally with purple band across base, puberulent with crisped purple-tipped hairs;

pollen sacs 1-2 mm, sterile tip of connective on inner stamens dark red, 0.25-1 mm, shorter than pollen sacs.

erect or ascending;

peduncle 1.5- calyx tube cylindric, externally tan or purplish, hirsute (often densely), internally white or pale green, occasionally mottled with purple, with white or purple hairs;

distal portion of sepal spreading or reflexed at anthesis, 6-24 mm, apex apiculate to acuminate or filiform-attenuate, abaxially green or purple, hirsute, adaxially purple, puberulent with crisped purple or pale hairs;

pollen sacs 1-1.5 mm, sterile tip of connective on inner stamens purple, 0.5-1 mm, shorter than or about as long as pollen sacs.

2n

= 26.

Asarum wagneri

Asarum canadense

Phenology Flowering spring–summer (May–Jul). Flowering spring–early summer (Mar–Jul).
Habitat Understory of Abies forests and open boulder fields in Tsuga forests near timberline Understory of deciduous (rarely coniferous) forests
Elevation 1500-3200 m (4900-10500 ft) 0-1300 m (0-4300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; CT; DC; DE; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OK; PA; SC; SD; TN; VA; VT; WI; WV; MB; NB; ON; QC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Asarum wagneri is endemic to the Cascade Range of pouthern Oregon (K. L. Lu and M. R. Mesler 1983).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

The rhizomes of Asarum canadense are occasionally used for seasoning. Handling the leaves is said to cause dermatitis in some people.

Native Americans used Asarum canadense medicinally to treat flux, poor digestion, swollen breasts, coughs and colds, typhus and scarlet fever, nerves, sore throats, cramps, heaves, earaches, headaches, convulsions, asthma, tuberculosis, urinary disorders, and venereal disease; as a stimulant, a seasoning, and a charm; and to strengthen other herbal concoctions and heighten appetite (D. E. Moerman 1986).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 3. FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Aristolochiaceae > Asarum Aristolochiaceae > Asarum
Sibling taxa
A. canadense, A. caudatum, A. hartwegii, A. lemmonii, A. marmoratum
A. caudatum, A. hartwegii, A. lemmonii, A. marmoratum, A. wagneri
Synonyms A. caudatum var. viridiflorum A. acuminatum, A. canadense var. acuminatum, A. canadense var. ambiguum, A. canadense var. reflexum, A. reflexum, A. rubrocinctum
Name authority K. L. Lu & Mesler: Brittonia 35: 331. (1983) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 442. (1753)
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