Aristolochiaceae

Aristolochia L.

Last edited by Pieter B. Pelser, 2 June 2026
  1. Aristolochia acuminata Lam., Encycl. (Lamarck) 1 (1783) 254. = Aristolochia tagala Cham., Linnaea 7 (1832) 207; Merr., Fl. Manila (1912) 186; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 120; Ding Hou, Blumea 29 (1983) 232; Fl. Males. ser. 1, 10 (1984) 94. = Aristolochia mindanaensis Warb., Fragm. Fl. Philipp. (1905) 169; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 119; Type: Warburg 14772. = Aristolochia subdigitata Blanco, Fl. Filip., 1st Ed. (1837) 283; Type: Untraced, illustrative specimen: Merrill Species Blancoanae 289 (US), Luzon: Between Manila and Pasig, Mar-1911. Distribution: Andaman Isls, Australia, Bangladesh, Bismarck Arch, Borneo, Cambodia, China, India, Java, Lesser Sunda Isls, Malay Peninsula, Moluccas, Myanmar, Nepal, New Guinea, Nicobar Isls, Philippines, Solomon Isls, Sri Lanka, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam. BASILAN, CATANDUANES, CEBU (photos), LEYTE, LUZON: Abra, Albay, Bataan, Cagayan, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Laguna, NCR, Pampanga, Quezon, Rizal, Sorsogon, MASBATE, MINDANAO: Agusan del Norte, Bukidnon, Davao, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte (photos), Zamboanga del Sur, MINDORO, PALAWAN, POLILLO, SAMAR. Notes: Forests and thickets, low and medium elevation. 0-800(-1350)m. Native.
  2. Aristolochia foveolata Merr., PJS 13c (1918) 9; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 119; Ding Hou, Blumea 29 (1983) 227; Fl. Males. ser. 1, 10 (1984) 91; Type: BS 30370 Ramos. Distribution: Borneo, Malay Peninsula, Philippines, Sumatra, Taiwan. CATANDUANES, PALAWAN. Notes: Moist lowland forest along small streams. (?-)1500-2100m. Native.
  3. Aristolochia humilis Merr., PJS 13c (1918) 280; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 119; Ding Hou, Fl. Males. ser. 1, 10 (1984) 103; Type: BS 28480 Ramos & Edaño (US, iso), Luzon: Quezon, Mt Binuang. May-1917. Distribution: Endemic to the Philippines. LUZON: Quezon. Notes: Damp forests along streams at low elevation. Native.
  4. Aristolochia jackii Steud., Nomencl. Bot. (Steudel), 2nd Ed. 1 (1840) 132; Ding Hou, Blumea 29 (1983) 230; Fl. Males. ser. 1, 10 (1984) 88. Distribution: Borneo, Java, Malay Peninsula, ?New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sumatra. BATAN, LUZON: Sorsogon, PALAWAN. Notes: 0-1200m. Native.
  5. Aristolochia leytensis Merr., PJS 10c (1915) 4; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 119; Ding Hou, Fl. Males. ser. 1, 10 (1984) 104; Type: BS 15201 Ramos (US, iso), Leyte: Leyte, near Dagami, in thickets along streams, Aug-1912. Distribution: Endemic to the Philippines. LEYTE, SAMAR. Notes: Thickets and forests near or along streams at low elevation. Native.
  6. Aristolochia macgregorii Merr., PJS 5c (1910) 174; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 119; Ding Hou, Fl. Males. ser. 1, 10 (1984) 103; Type: BS 10656 McGregor (US, iso), Babuyan Island Group, Dalupiri, 20-Aug-1909. Distribution: Endemic to the Philippines. CALAYAN, DALUPIRI. Notes: Littoral thickets. 0-350m. Native.
  7. Aristolochia philippinensis Warb., Fragm. Fl. Philipp. (1905) 170; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 119; Ding Hou, Fl. Males. ser. 1, 10 (1984) 102. Distribution: Endemic to the Philippines. BANCALAN, BORACAY (photos), BUCAS GRANDE (photos), BUYAYAO (photos), DANJUGAN (photos), DINAGAT (photos), LUZON: Benguet, Cagayan, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Laguna, Pangasinan, Quezon, Rizal, Sorsogon, Zambales, MINDANAO: Surigao del Norte, MINDORO, NEGROS, PALAWAN, SEMIRARA. Notes: Thickets and forest. 0-900m. Native.
  8. Aristolochia samarensis Merr., PJS 11c (1916) 178; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 120; Ding Hou, Fl. Males. ser. 1, 10 (1984) 102; Type: BS 24410 Ramos (US, iso), Samar: Catubig River at Pinipisakan, 20-Mar-1916. Distribution: Endemic to the Philippines. LEYTE, SAMAR. Notes: Damp forest near river at low elevation. Only known from the type collection. Native.
  9. Aristolochia sericea Blanco, Fl. Filip., 1st Ed. (1837) 283; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 120; Ding Hou, Fl. Males. ser. 1, 10 (1984) 103. = Aristolochia membranacea Merr., PJS 14 (1919) 381; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 119; Type: BS 33338 Ramos (US, iso), Luzon: Ilocos Norte, Mt Palimlim, on dry slopes and ridges, c. 350m, 22-Aug-1918. Distribution: Endemic to the Philippines. LUZON: Albay, Batangas, Bulacan, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, La Union, MINDANAO: Lanao del Sur. Notes: Dry thickets. 0-350m. Native.
  10. Aristolochia zollingeriana Miq., Fl. Ned. Ind. 1(1) (1858) 1066; Ding Hou, Blumea 29 (1983) 232; Fl. Males. ser. 1, 10 (1984) 92. = Aristolochia ramosii Merr., PJS 29 (1926) 478; Type: BS 43375 Ramos, Bohol: Kalingohan, on rocky forested slopes, c. 300m, Aug-1923. Distribution: Java, Philippines, Ryukyu Isls, Sumatra, Taiwan. BOHOL, ?BORACAY (photos), CEBU, DALUPIRI, GOLO, LUZON: Apayao, Batangas, Cavite, Ilocos Norte, MANAMOC, MINDORO. Notes: Forests or along forest edges. 0-300m. Native.

Cultivated, not naturalized

  1. Aristolochia elegans Mast., Gard. Chron., n.s. 24 (1885) 301; LPB 5 (1913) 1661; Merr., Fl. Manila (1912) 186; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 119. Distribution: Neotropics. Cultivated, not naturalized.

Thottea Rottb.

Last edited by Pieter B. Pelser, 28 October 2025
  1. Thottea philippinensis Quisumb., PJS 41 (1930) 322; Ding Hou, Blumea 27 (1981) 306; Blumea 29 (1983) 242; Fl. Males. Ser. 1, 10 (1984) 75; Naive et al., Nordic J. Bot. e04153 (2023) 2; Type: FB 30249 Roque (UC, holo), Mindanao: Lanao, Santo Cogon, dipterocarp forest, c. 150m, 22-Apr-1926. Distribution: Borneo, Philippines. MINDANAO: Lanao, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte (photos), Zamboanga del Sur (photos). Notes: 150-460m to 660m (photos). Conservation status: Critically Endangered (Naive et al. 2023). Native.
  2. Thottea tomentosa (Blume) Ding Hou, Blumea 27 (1981) 328; Fl. Males. ser. 1, 10 (1984) 79; Naive et al., Nordic J. Bot. e04153 (2023) 4; ≡ Apama tomentosa (Blume) Engl., Nat. Pflanzenfam. (Engler & Prantl) 3(1) (1888) 272; ≡ Ceramium tomentosum Blume, Bijdr. fl. Ned. Ind. (1826-1827) 1135; Type: from Java. = Bragantia affinis Planch. ex Rolfe, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1913 (1913) 265; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 120; Type: Cuming 1689 (K, lecto), Panay; Merrill 6700 (BM, K, PNH, US, syn), Panay: Dumarao, Mar-1910; BS 13370 Ramos, Luzon: Tayabas, Tagcauayan, Mar-1911. = Bragantia brevipes Merr., PJS 17 (1920) 248; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 120; Type: BS 34811 Ramos & Pascasio (BM, BO, K, US, iso), Surigao, Apr-1919. Distribution: Andaman Isls, Bangladesh, India, Java, Laos, Malay Peninsula, Myanmar, Nicobar Isls, Philippines, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Thailand, Vietnam. ALABAT, LEYTE (photos), LUZON: Quezon, MINDANAO: Surigao, Zamboanga del Sur, PANAY, SAMAR. Notes: Moist forests along small streams at low and medium elevation. J.V. LaFrankie (pers. comm. 27-Apr-2016) considered Philippine plants under the name Thottea tomentosa distinct at the species level. P.B. Pelser (10-May-2020): photos here by Tandang show a flower with eight stamens, but Thottea tomentosa is supposed to consistently have six. Because the protologues of Bragantia affinis and Bragantia brevipes also mention flowers with six stamens, this plant might represent a distinct species. Naive et al. (2023) appear to consider only plants from Zamboanga del Sur to belong to Thottea tomentosa. 150-250m. Conservation status: Critically Endangered (Naive et al. 2023). Native.

References