Endodeca serpentaria (Linnaeus) Rafinesque. Common name: Turpentine-root, Virginia Snakeroot, Serpent Birthwort. Phenology: May-Jun; Jun-Jul. Habitat: Dry to mesic forests, perhaps more restricted to mesic situations over acidic substrate, ranging into drier situations over calcareous or mafic substrates. Distribution: CT and NY west to IL, MI, and MO, south to c. peninsular FL and TX.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: If treated in the genus Isotrema, the correct spelling is I. serpentaria, as Linnaeus capitalized 'Serpentaria' as a noun (pre-Linnaean genus name) and used it as a noun in apposition.
Other Comments: The tremendous variation in this species needs further study. Plants with sparingly pubescent, thin-textured, linear to lanceolate leaves have been called Aristolochia hastata. Plants with broadly ovate, densely pubescent leaves have been called Aristolochia convolvulacea. Aristolochia nashii was based on plants from peninsular FL with very narrow leaves. These may represent merely morphologic extremes of a polymorphic complex; alternatively, some taxonomic recognition of such plants as distinct from E. serpentaria (in a narrow sense) may be warranted.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Mi, NE, NY, Tn, Va; = Aristolochia serpentaria L. — Ar, C, Fl2, FNA3, G, GrPl, Mo2, NcTx, NS, Ok, Pa, POWO, RAB, Tat, W, WH3; = Isotrema serpentarium (L.) X.X.Zhu, S.Liao, & J.S.Ma — K4, Zhu et al (2019), orthographic error; > Aristolochia convolvulacea Small — S; > Aristolochia hastata Nutt. — S; > Aristolochia nashii Kearney; > Aristolochia serpentaria L. — S; > Aristolochia serpentaria L. var. hastata (Nutt.) Duch. — F, Tx; > Aristolochia serpentaria L. var. nashii (Kearney) Ahles; > Aristolochia serpentaria L. var. serpentaria — F, Tx; > Endodeca hastata (Nutt.) Raf. — Il; > Endodeca serpentaria (L.) Raf. — Il; > Endodeca serpentaria (L.) Raf. var. hastata (Raf.) C.F.Reed; Aristolochia serpentaria L. Basionym: Aristolochia serpentaria L. 1753
Links to other floras: = Aristolochia serpentaria - FNA3
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: UPL
- Great Plains: FACU
- Midwest: UPL
- Northcentral & Northeast: UPL
Heliophily ⓘ: 3
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© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Scott Ward source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Rhizomatous perennial of dry to mesic forests; may be more restricted to mesic situations over acidic substrate but ranges into drier situations over calcareous/mafic substrates.
Stems: Stems smooth to hairy, sometimes trailing.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, narrowly lance-shaped to somewhat oval and the base lobed, suggestive of an arrowhead shape, 2-6 in. long.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers solitary on a weak-stemmed lower branch; greenish-purplish to maroon; ½-¾ in. long; bilaterally symmetric and tubular, with a sharp curve and a constriction below the flaring mouth; hairy.
Fruits:
Comments: Variations in leaf shape and texture have led to naming of other species, though these may represent morphologic extremes of a polymorphic complex; roots have a strong turpentine odor when bruised.
Height: 4-24 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Rhizomatous perennial of dry to mesic forests; may be more restricted to mesic situations over acidic substrate but ranges into drier situations over calcareous/mafic substrates.
stems: Stems smooth to hairy, sometimes trailing.
leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, narrowly lance-shaped to somewhat oval and the base lobed, suggestive of an arrowhead shape, 2-6 in. long.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers solitary on a weak-stemmed lower branch; greenish-purplish to maroon; ½-¾ in. long; bilaterally symmetric and tubular, with a sharp curve and a constriction below the flaring mouth; hairy.
fruits:
comments: Variations in leaf shape and texture have led to naming of other species, though these may represent morphologic extremes of a polymorphic complex; roots have a strong turpentine odor when bruised.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: eastern United States
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