ARISTOLOCHIA CRETICA

Family:- ARISTOLOCHIACEAE

Synonyms:- Plagistra cretica.

Meaning:- Aristolochia (Gr) Best-childbirth.

Cretica (L) From Crete.

General description:- Short to medium hairy perennial with erect or spreading

stems, herb, sometimes climbing.

Stems:-

a) 30-60 cm.

b) erect or decumbent.

c) pubescent.

Leaves:-

1) Lamina:

a) 1-7·5 x 1-8 cm.

b) kidney-shaped (reniform) to triangular-ovate, about as long as wide.

c) petioles, not more than 5 cm.

Flowers:-

1) Tube:

a) 5-12 cm long.

b) dull purple to brown.

2) Perianth:

a) uniting to forming a strongly curved inflated tube (utricle).

b)10-20 mm diam (resembling a Dutchman's pipe) expanding widely at the base.

c) with numerous pale bristles in the mouth.

3) Limb:

a) ovate, with basal auricles narrow, emarginate to 2-lobed.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule:

a) 3-6 cm.

b) ovate-oblong.

Key features:-

1) Perianth with large conspicuous limb at least 1/5 as long as tube.

2) Perianth-tube strongly curved, 10-20 mm diam.

3) Utricle oblong-cylindrical.

4) Leaves not more than 7·5 x 8 cm.

5) Limb of perianth ovate, with basal auricles 2-5 mm wide.

Habitat:- Gorges and rocky slopes with dry open shrubby vegetation, often in

semishade by rocks or under bushes, usually on limestone. 0-600(1000) m.

Distribution:- Endemic Crete and Karpathos. Widespread across the eastern part

of Crete with a few scattered occurrences in the central and north west.

Flowering time:- Mid-Mar to end of May.

Photo by:- Steve Lenton

Comments:-

Contrary to common belief this plant is not carnivorous. Insects attracted by its

smell of rotting meat descend into the gaping mouth and down into the bulbous

section, where unable to escape owing to the downward pointing hairs, they

become dusted with pollen. There they remain until the flower begins to die and the

hairs become limp. Released they move onto the next flower and repeat the

process pollinating it in turn.