Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_1433.JPG-05-12-2019
Flower name (scientific): Asarum canadense Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) ah-SAIR-um ka-na-DEN-see
Flower name (common): Canadian Wild Ginger
Family name (common): Birthwort
Family name (scientific): Aristolochiaceae
Scientific name origin:
     Genus: From a Greek name for the herb asarabacca, used by Dioscorides. Asarabacca is Asarum europaeum and is commonly known as European wild ginger.
    Specific epithet: Of or related to Canada.
Common name origin: This is not the ginger (Zingiber officinale) used in cooking and native to south-east Asia. In fact Asarum canadense contains aristolochic acid, a carcinogenic compound and nephrotoxin (causes damage to the kidney or renal failure). The name Canadian Wild Ginger probably arises from its use in pioneer cooking as a ginger substitute and its widespread occurrence in eastern Canada.
Flower description:
     Size: 0.7 to 2.0 inches (1.8 to 5.1 cm)
     Petal count: 3
     Color: red
     Other: flower arrangement, Solitary
Plant description:
     Size: 2 to 8 inches (5 to 20 cm)
     Stem hairy: Aerial stems are absent. The petioles and the flower stalk are densely hairy.
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is basal, type is simple.
     Size: Leaves are typically up to about 8 cm long and up to 14 cm wide, but can range up to 20 cm long and about 21 cm wide.
     Color: Medium green
     Hairy: Sparsely hairy on both surfaces.
     Other: Shape: leaf, cordate-reniform to reniform (FNA)
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common
Bloom time (typical): April to May
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial
Habitat: Moist woodlands, mesic forests, streambanks, shade or part shade.
Fruit:
Seed: About 4 mm in length, light to darker brown in color, and ovate in shape.
Importance to wildlife:
Similar species (if any): No close lookalikes.
Ethnobotany: The Chippewa used this plant as an adjuvant, dematological aid, gastrointestinal aid, bronchial medicine, and orthopedic aid (Densmore, pp. 342, 348, 366, 1928; Gilmore, pp. 125, 129, 1933). The Menominee employed the plant as a stomachic (Smith, p. 24, 1923). The Meskwaki used the plant as an adjuvant, analgesic, ear medicine, gastrointestinal aid, pulmonary aid, and as a medicine for sore throat (Smith, pp. 204, 1928). The Potawatomi utilized the plant as a mild stomachic (Smith, pp. 36-37, 1933). Several other tribes employed this plant to prepare medicines. The Chippewa, Meskwaki, and Potawatomi also used the plant as a food source (Moerman, pp. 105-106, 1998). The Potawatomi improved the palatability of fish and meat using Asarum canadense as a flavor enhancer (Smith, p. 97, 1933), and the Meskwaki made a similar use of the plant (Smith, pp. 204, 255, 1928). The Chippewa also used the root as an "appetizer" adding it to any cooked food (Densmore, p. 318, 1928; Smith, p. 397, 1932).
Latitude: 44.799672
Longitude: -91.508105
Altitude: 246.60
Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map
In US: (AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV) Click here for distribution map
In Canada: (MB, NB, ON, QC) Click here for distribution map
References:
Synonym(s):
Basionym: na
Homotypic Synonym: na
Heterotypic Synonym(s): POWO lists 13 heterotypic synonyms for this species.
Autonym: na
Wetland Status (NC): UPL
Wetland Status (MW): FACU