Family |
Aristolochiaceae
Aristolochia sempervirens
L.
Aristolochia sempervirens L.
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 1, Pl. CXXVI nº 1; 1966)
Life-form & habit: Slender, twining stems with fibrous roots; often slightly woody, sprawling on the ground or climbing into shrubs or trees, reaching several meters; stems angular, glabrous, and smooth.
Leaves: Persistent, glabrous, somewhat shiny, alternate, petiolate, broadly triangular and cordate at the base; petiole glabrous and grooved below.
Inflorescence & flowers: Axillary, solitary flowers not reaching beyond the adjacent leaf; peduncle slender, glabrous, 1–3 cm, deflexed at the tip. Ovary oblong-obovate, finely papillose-pubescent. Perianth tube inflated at the base, narrowed then gradually dilated upward, strongly curved, ending in a broad tongue-shaped limb extending basally beyond the tube. Exterior olive-green, darker or lighter; interior yellow with brown streaks.
Fruit: Pendulous capsule, ovoid to oblong-subcylindrical.
Phenology: Flowers year-round.
Habitat & elevation: Wooded areas, hedges, sometimes open fields, typically on very stony ground.
Lebanese distribution: Ct. Naqoura, Saïda, Beirut, Nahr-el-Kelb, Tripoli; Mi. ‘Abey, under ‘Aley, Bikfaya, Rayfoun, Feitroun, Ghosta to Dlepta, Choueir, between ‘Aramoun and Chahtoul, Machnaqa, Douma; Mm. Mdeireje to Khan Jedid, Hadchit, Cedars, ‘Aïn Zehalta; ‘Akkar region; Herm. Rachaya; Met. Rachaya–Qaraoun; Sud. Deir Mimas.
Syrian distribution: Mi. West of Safita, ‘Aïn Halakim, Bhamra; Mm. Slenfé.
Native range: North West Africa, Sicily, Greece, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine/Israel (KEW, GBIF)