Aristolochia odoratissima L., Aristolochiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Aristolochia glaziovii Mast.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: duck, swan

Spanish: bejuco de zaragoza, saragosa, zaragoza

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Glabrescent vines.  Pseudostipules present, ovate, to 3.5 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, usually not visible on young branchlets.  Petiole 3-6.5 cm long, glabrescent; blade ovate, often subhastate, sometimes narrowly ovate, 4-16 cm long, 3-13 cm wide, membranaceous, base cordate, sinus 1-3.7 cm deep, apex acute to shortly acuminate, sometimes obtuse or emarginate, adaxial surface glabrescent, abaxial surface appressed-puberulous, the trichomes simple, less than 1 mm long, venation actinodromous-campylodromous, basal primary veins (3) 5.  Flowers axillary, solitary, on leafy branchlets.  Peduncle plus ovary 4.5-10 cm long, ebracteolate. Perigon strongly arcuate, glabrous outside; utricle obovoid, 15-25 (-30) mm long, 5-8 mm in diameter; syrinx inaequilateral, 2.5-3.5 mm long; tube narrowly funnelform, 10-25 mm long, 2-3 mm in proximal diameter, 3-4.5 mm in distal diameter, forming an angle of ca 90 degrees with the utricle; limb 1-lobed, ovate, 40-110 mm long, 25-45 mm wide, forming an angle of ca 90 degrees with the tube, exappendiculate, apex acute, mucronate.  Gynostemium 3.5-5 mm long.  Capsule narrowly cylindrical, slightly curved, 4.5-8 cm long, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, rostrate.  Seeds broadly ovoid, 3-3.5 mm long, 2-2.5 mm wide, unwinged, with a glutinous aril"  (Gonzalez, 1994; pp. 28-29).

Habitat/ecology:  "At edges of gallery forests, secondary forests and, occasionally, in fields, from 30 to 400 m altitude" (Gonzalez, 1994; pp. 28-29).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Mexico, Central America, Antilles, Colombia, [Ecuador], Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay" (Gonzalez, 1994; pp. 28-29).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Chiapas, Michoacan, Oaxaca, Tabasco, Veracruz
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	Gonzalez, Favio (1994) (p. 28)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	Gonzalez, Favio (1994) (p. 28)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Bolivar, Los Rios
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	Gonzalez, Favio (1994) (p. 28)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	Gonzalez, Favio (1994) (p. 28)

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