Plant Index
Hexastylis arifolia var. arifolia
Hexastylis arifolia (Michx.) Small var. arifolia
arrowleaf heartleaf, little brown jug
Synonym(s): Asarum arifolium
Image ID: 20991
Image by: Cressler, Alan M.
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library
PLANT INDEX
ID_PLANT: HEARASCIENTIFIC NAME: Hexastylis arifolia var. arifolia
Include in WOTAS: 0
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2017-07-19
GENUS INDEX
GENUS CODE: HEXASGENUS SCIENTIFIC: Hexastylis
GENUS AUTHORITY: Raf.
GENUS COMMON: Heartleaf
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of about 11 species, herbs, of se. North America, very possibly best expanded to include Asian taxa treated in Heterotropa and Asiasarum. Barringer (1993) and Kelly (1997, 1998) have recently employed a broad definition of Asarum, including Hexastylis. Over the last half-century various students of the group (emphasizing a range of fields of evidence) have arrayed themselves for and against the recognition of Hexastylis as a genus distinct from Asarum. A cladistic analysis (Kelly 1997, 1998) showed distinctive clades which could be interpreted as evidence for the recognition of Hexastylis (including the Asian Heterotropa), though the author preferred to recognize 2 subgenera. I choose here to follow the more traditional (at least in our area) separation of Hexastylis from Asarum, until and unless stronger evidence is presented for their combination. Electrophoretic and morphologic studies currently in progress validate the species / varietal level taxonomy presented, insofar as results are available (Z. Murrell, pers. comm., 2013; R. Wyatt, pers. comm.). A difficult genus, Hexastylis is made more frustrating by the fact that nearly all diagnostic features relate to the shape and size of the fleshy and brittle calyx – characters which are difficult to describe and are largely lost when specimens are pressed. The difficulty of identifying herbarium specimens has sometimes been (apparently) used as a justification for reducing (often drastically, as in Cronquist) the number of taxa recognized. To those familiar with this genus in the field, however, the taxa here recognized form geographically distinctive populations. Size and (to a lesser degree) shape of individual flowers show considerable variation and can be altered by environmental factors; individual flowers or plants can be difficult to identify if taken out of context. Populations, however, are usually readily identifiable.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION: Identification notes: The photograph (Figure 1) in Gaddy (1987a) of the flowers of all species other than H. arifolia and H. speciosa is highly recommended as an aid to identification. The calyx tube orifice is measured on the inside – the diameter of the opening. The width of calyx lobes is measured from sinus tip to sinus tip.
GENUS REFERENCES: Whittemore & Gaddy in FNA (1997); Gaddy (1987a)=Z; Blomquist (1957)=Y; Barringer (1993)=X; Keener & Davenport (2015)=V; Gaddy (1987b); Gaddy (1986); Gaddy in Wofford (1989); Sugawara (1987); Huber in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993). Key adapted from FNA, Gaddy in Wofford (1989), and Gaddy (1987a).
FAMILY INDEX
FAMILY CODE: ARISTOFAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Aristolochiaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: A. L. de Jussieu 1789
FAMILY COMMON: Birthwort Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of about 6-12 genera and 600 species, vines, shrubs, and herbs, of tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions.
FAMILY REFERENCE: Barringer & Whittemore in FNA (1997); Ohi-Toma et al. (2006); Neinhuis et al. (2005); Huber in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993).
NCBG DESCRIPTIVES
INTRO: Low-growing, aculescent perennial from short, stout rhizomes; found in dry to moist deciduous forests, primarily in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont.STEMS:
LEAVES: Leaves on long petioles, triangular to arrowhead-shaped, to 8 in. long and 6 in. wide, often variegated, evergreen-leathery and smooth; exude a spicy smell when torn.
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS: Flowers arise from the underground stem on such short peduncles that they are often hidden beneath leaf litter; greenish or purplish outside with dark red-purple inside, urn-shaped with 3 short, spreading triangular-pointy lobes, fleshy-firm.
FRUITS: Fruit a round, fleshy capsule.
COMMENTS: Two other varieties (var. callifolia and var. ruthii) . . . .?
HEIGHT: 2-6 in.
DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Herb
LEAF ARRANGEMENT: Alternate
LEAF COMPLEXITY: Simple
LEAF RETENTION:
FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY:
BLOOM TIME: Mar-May
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| x | x | x | x | x |
BLOOM COLOR: greenish-purple
| White | Red | Pink | Orange | Yellow | Green | Blue | Lavender | Purple | Violet | Brown | Not Applicable |
| x | x | x |
FRUITING PERIOD:
DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE: Dry forests, Moist forests
NATIVE RANGE:
HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text:
Bloom Table Text:
NCBG Location:
Cultural Notes:
SOIL MOISTURE: Dry, Average, Moist/Wet
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Part Shade, Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE:
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE:
GERMINATION CODE:
WILDLIFE VALUE:
DEER RESISTANCE:
GRIM COLLECTIONS
| Coll_id | Project | Collection date | Collector | Action |
| 193 | HORT | 2008-05-05 | Keith | View |
GRIM ACCESSIONS
| acc_id | acc_num | acc_dt | coll_id | Action |
| 194 | 2011-0005 | 2011-01-04 | 193 | View |
GRIM PLANTINGS
| plt_num | acc_id | loc_num | pers_num | inst_dt | Action |
| 378 | 194 | 25 | NCBG staff | 2011-03-29 | View |
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
USDA Symbol: HEARAUSDA Common Name: Littlebrownjug
Native Status: L48 (N)
Distribution: USA (AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Forb/herb
WEAKLEY FLORA
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hexastylis arifolia var. arifoliaCOMMON NAME: Little Brown Jug, Arrowleaf Heartleaf
SYNONYMY: [= C, FNA, K, Tn, Va, W, Y, Z; = Asarum arifolium Michaux - F; = H. arifolia - G, S; < H. arifolia - RAB; < Asarum arifolium Michaux - Fl, WH3; = Asarum arifolium Michaux var. arifolium - X]
PHENOLOGY: Mar-May.
HABITAT: Dry to mesic deciduous forests.
COMMENTS: Se. VA, sw. VA, se. TN, and n. AL south to se. GA (Carter, Baker, & Morris 2009), Panhandle FL, s. MS, and se. LA, primarily on the Coastal Plain and Piedmont.
RANGE MAP: Hexastylis arifolia var. arifolia.png
Key to Map Symbols
ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Aristolochiaceae A. L. de Jussieu 1789 (Birthwort Family)
SUMMARY: A family of about 6-12 genera and 600 species, vines, shrubs, and herbs, of tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions.
REFERENCE: Barringer & Whittemore in FNA (1997); Ohi-Toma et al. (2006); Neinhuis et al. (2005); Huber in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993).
ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Hexastylis Raf. (Heartleaf)
SUMMARY: A genus of about 11 species, herbs, of se. North America, very possibly best expanded to include Asian taxa treated in Heterotropa and Asiasarum. Barringer (1993) and Kelly (1997, 1998) have recently employed a broad definition of Asarum, including Hexastylis. Over the last half-century various students of the group (emphasizing a range of fields of evidence) have arrayed themselves for and against the recognition of Hexastylis as a genus distinct from Asarum. A cladistic analysis (Kelly 1997, 1998) showed distinctive clades which could be interpreted as evidence for the recognition of Hexastylis (including the Asian Heterotropa), though the author preferred to recognize 2 subgenera. I choose here to follow the more traditional (at least in our area) separation of Hexastylis from Asarum, until and unless stronger evidence is presented for their combination. Electrophoretic and morphologic studies currently in progress validate the species / varietal level taxonomy presented, insofar as results are available (Z. Murrell, pers. comm., 2013; R. Wyatt, pers. comm.). A difficult genus, Hexastylis is made more frustrating by the fact that nearly all diagnostic features relate to the shape and size of the fleshy and brittle calyx – characters which are difficult to describe and are largely lost when specimens are pressed. The difficulty of identifying herbarium specimens has sometimes been (apparently) used as a justification for reducing (often drastically, as in Cronquist) the number of taxa recognized. To those familiar with this genus in the field, however, the taxa here recognized form geographically distinctive populations. Size and (to a lesser degree) shape of individual flowers show considerable variation and can be altered by environmental factors; individual flowers or plants can be difficult to identify if taken out of context. Populations, however, are usually readily identifiable.
REFERENCE: Whittemore & Gaddy in FNA (1997); Gaddy (1987a)=Z; Blomquist (1957)=Y; Barringer (1993)=X; Keener & Davenport (2015)=V; Gaddy (1987b); Gaddy (1986); Gaddy in Wofford (1989); Sugawara (1987); Huber in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993). Key adapted from FNA, Gaddy in Wofford (1989), and Gaddy (1987a).
HERBARIUM RESOURCES
SERNEC: Find Hexastylis arifolia var. arifolia in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)UNC SERNEC: Find Hexastylis arifolia var. arifolia in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
WEB RESOURCES
USDA: Find Hexastylis arifolia var. arifolia in USDA PlantsNPIN: Find Hexastylis arifolia var. arifolia in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Hexastylis arifolia var. arifolia in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Hexastylis arifolia var. arifolia
IMAGE USE RECORDS
ID IMAGE: 20991 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)ID IMAGE1: 20991 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 0 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 20991 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)
From the Image Gallery
 Image ID: 20992 |
 Image ID: 24587 |