English: Dutchman's Pipe; Virginia snakeroot.
Region: South-eastern N. America, Kansas to Indiana, south to Texas, Georgia, Florida.
Habitat: moist woods, along rich river banks, thickets and woods, in sandy and silty soils; elevations to 500 metres; hardy to at least -10°C; prefers a well-drained loamy soil, rich in organic matter, in sun or semi-shade.
Content: aristolochic acid.
BotanyHerb; deciduous; climbing perennial; fast-growing.
Stem: woody; up to 25 metres long; scramble over the ground, twining into the surrounding vegetation for support.
Content: aristolochic acid, carcinogenic,damaging to the kidneys
Flowers: purple-brown; malodorous, smelling like decaying flesh.
Pollination: by small flies, attracted by the foetid odours, enter the flower when the stigmas are receptive and then become trapped in the hairy throat of the flower until after the anthers dehisce, thus ensuring pollination.