1256

 Aristolochia gigantea Mart.

Family	:	Aristolochiaceae
Local name	:	English         - pelican flower
Flowering and fruiting period	:	August to November
Distribution	:	Central and South America
Habitat	:	Found in tropical forests and stream banks at an altitude of 700 - 1100 m, mostly cultivated.
Endemic/ Exotic	:	Exotic
Uses	:	Ornamental Flowers
Key botanical characters :   Herbaceous evergreen vine with a climbing or spreading growth habit.Light green leaves are heart-shaped with entire leaf margin. Leaves are arranged alternately along the stems, measuring about 15 cm long and 11 cm wide, with whitish hair on the undersides.Large flowers (15 cm wide, 30 cm tall) have an unusual, pouchlike shape. The flowers are reddish purple with white, net-like streaks and a yellow throat. Unlike A. grandiflora which also produces large flowers, it does not produce an unpleasant smell. Fruits are oblong or cylindrical capsules, measuring to about 13 cm long and 3 cm wide. and will turn from green to brown when mature, splitting open at the top into 7 sections in a 'Chinese Lantern' pattern to release many seeds. The mature fruit capsule is papery.