Aristolochia ringens Vahl, Aristolochiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 4 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: gaping Dutchman's pipe

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Slightly woody vine, twining, attaining 5 m in length.  Stems cylindrical, slender, glabrous, with the pith hollow.  Leaves alternate; blades 5-16 x 6-18 cm, broadly ovate, reniform or orbicular, chartaceous, with prominently reticulate venation, the apex obtuse or rounded, the base deeply cordate, the margins entire; upper surface dark green, dull; lower surface glaucous, glabrous, with numerous scattered dots; petioles 3-11 cm long, sulcate or compressed, broadened at the base; pseudostipules foliaceous, ovate-rounded, 2.5-5 cm long.  Flowers solitary, pendulous; peduncle 7.5-17 cm long; utricle obovoid, 5-7 x 2.5-4 cm, the tube straight, 3-4 cm long, almost forming a right angle with the utricle; limb bilabiate, yellowish with a cardinal red reticulum, the upper lip spathulate, 6-9 cm long, the lower lip lanceolate, 10-15 cm long.  Capsule 6-11 cm long, oblong or oblanceolate, with 6 ribs, the apex mucronate, the base acute; seeds numerous, rhomboid, winged, 7-15 mm long"  (Acevedo-Rodriguez, 2005; p. 71).

Habitat/ecology:  In Puerto Rico, "on roadsides and in open areas" (Acevedo-Rodriguez, 2005; p. 71).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Venezuela, Brazil and Peru; cultivated elsewhere in the tropics (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	introduced cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced cultivated	Imada, Clyde T./Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2013) Waimea Arboretum & Botanical Garden

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 15) Cultivated only
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized

Control:  If you know of control methods for Aristolochia ringens, please let us know.