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Asarum
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<h2 id="description">Description</h2> <p><i>Asarum</i> is a genus of low-growing herbs distributed across the temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere, with most species in East Asia (China, Japan, and Vietnam) and North America, and one species in Europe. Biogeographically, <i>Asarum</i> originated in Asia. </p><p>They have characteristic kidney-shaped leaves, growing from creeping rhizomes, and bear small, axillary, brown or reddish flowers. </p><p>The plant is called wild ginger because the rhizomes and leaves taste and smell similar to <a href="/facts/Ginger/ljRLQ4Nd">ginger</a> root, but the two are not particularly related. The FDA warns against consuming <i>Asarum</i>, as it is <a href="/facts/Nephrotoxic/QaWn5pwB">nephrotoxic</a> and contains the potent <a href="/facts/Carcinogen/soH8Y9CE">carcinogen</a> <a href="/facts/Aristolochic_acid/Lqg0aW1x">aristolochic acid</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> The birthwort family also contains the genus <i><a href="/facts/Aristolochia/x42zx91X">Aristolochia</a></i>, known for <a href="/facts/Carcinogens/soH8Y9CE">carcinogens</a>. </p><p>Wild ginger favors moist, shaded sites with <a href="/facts/Humus/vlhws4I0">humus</a>-rich soil. The deciduous, heart-shaped <a href="/facts/Leaf/1m6wCNTg">leaves</a> are opposite, and borne from the rhizome which lies just under the soil surface. Two leaves emerge each year from the growing tip. The curious jug-shaped <a href="/facts/Flower/7gI5Kefw">flowers</a>, which give the plant an alternate name, little jug, are borne singly in spring between the leaf bases. </p><p>Wild ginger can easily be grown in a <a href="/facts/Shade_garden/THaKXvpN">shade garden</a>, and makes an attractive <a href="/facts/Groundcover/eeoJc7pa">groundcover</a>. </p> <h2 id="taxonomy">Taxonomy</h2> <p>Traditionally, the genus <i>Asarum</i> was considered as a single genus with about 85 species. However, a trend exists among some botanists to segregate the genus into separate genera, based on considerations of chromosome number and floral morphology: </p> <ul><li><i>Asarum</i> <a href="/facts/Sensu/ho2gtX2C"><i>sensu stricto</i></a> (about 17 species), distributed in Asia (mainly China), North America, and Europe</li> <li><i>Heterotropa</i> (about 50 species), distributed in Asia</li> <li><i>Asiasarum</i> (three or four species), distributed in Asia</li> <li><i>Geotaenium</i> (three or four species), distributed in Asia</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Hexastylis/oFFGqJX3">Hexastylis</a></i> (ten species), distributed in North America</li></ul> <p>Study of the <a href="/facts/Internal_transcribed_spacer/s1QsaLEv">internal transcribed spacer</a> region (ITS) of nuclear <a href="/facts/Ribosomal_DNA/r0Ah7R7L">ribosomal DNA</a>, combined with morphological data, has yielded a better-resolved phylogenetic hypothesis, supporting a recognition of two subgenera, <i>Asarum</i> and <i>Heterotropa</i> each containing two sections, rather than the segregated genera above.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p> <ul><li><i>Asarum</i> <i>sensu stricto</i> (<i>s.s.</i>) : the North American species are <a href="/facts/Monophyletic/pD8Yrrn6">monophyletic</a> and are derived from within the <a href="/facts/Paraphyletic/tmTWjACz">paraphyletic</a> Asian species group.</li> <li><i>Geotaenium</i> is a sister to <i>Asarum</i> <i>s.s.</i>, showing its close relationship to <i>Asarum</i> <i>s.s.</i>.</li> <li><i>Asiasarum</i> is a sister to the <i>Hexastylis</i> + <i>Heterotropa</i> clade, showing several <a href="/facts/Synapomorphy/t21GWRl1">synapomorphies</a> with this clade.</li> <li><i>Hexastylis</i>: this genus has been recognized solely on the study by H.L. Blomquist.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> However, the above-mentioned DNA study provided indications that <i>Hexastylis</i> is not monophyletic and that some species of <i>Hexastylis</i> are more closely related to Asiatic species of <i>Heterotropa</i> than they are to other species of <i>Hexastylis</i>. The recognition of <i>Hexastylis</i> has likely persisted due to regional botanists' contrasting the morphology of that section with the regionally co-occurring <i>Asarum canadense</i>, which is the sole species of Asarum subgenus Asarum in the southeastern United States. However, the morphological character states used to support the recognition of section Hexastylis at the generic level are plesiomorphic. For example, Blomquist <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> provides an enumeration of character states supporting <i>Hexastylis</i>, all of are plesiomorphic with respect to one or another <i>Asarum</i> lineage. The presence of persistent, variegated leaves is often invoked by amateur botanists as a characteristic unique to section Hexastylis amongst North American <i>Asarum</i> species, however <i><a href="/facts/Asarum_marmoratum/9xXgfb42">Asarum marmoratum</a></i>, an <i>Asarum</i> Subgenus Asarum species found in the western United States also has persistent and variegated leaves (<a href="https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=736">see Calflora page for detailed photographs</a>)</li> <li><i>Heterotropa</i>: this is a complex monophyletic group, well nested within the <i>Asiasarum</i> + <i>Hexastylis</i> + <i>Heterotropa</i> clade.</li></ul> <p>. </p> <h2 id="species">Species</h2> <ul><li><i><a href="/facts/Asarum_arifolium/byYvqwJw">Asarum arifolium</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Asarum_asperum/5Nc1PwPU">Asarum asperum</a></i></li> <li><i>Asarum bashanense</i></li> <li><i>Asarum campaniflorum</i></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Asarum_canadense/K8UjgGIh">Asarum canadense</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Asarum_caudatum/7kPo8WNu">Asarum caudatum</a></i></li> <li><i>Asarum caudigerellum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum caudigerum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum caulescens</i></li> <li><i>Asarum chengkouense</i></li> <li><i>Asarum chinensis</i></li> <li><i>Asarum controversum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum crassisepalum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum crassum</i></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Asarum_crispulatum/od25NAcI">Asarum crispulatum</a></i></li> <li><i>Asarum debile</i></li> <li><i>Asarum delavayi</i></li> <li><i>Asarum dimidiatum</i> (synonym of <i>Asiasarum dimidiatum</i>)</li> <li><i>Asarum epigynum</i> (synonym of <i>Geotaenium epigynum</i>)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Asarum_europaeum/CBFs9K6V">Asarum europaeum</a></i></li> <li><i>Asarum forbesii</i> (synonym of <i>Heterotropa forbesii</i>)</li> <li><i>Asarum fukienense</i></li> <li><i>Asarum geophilum</i> (synonym of <i>Geotaenium geophilum</i>)</li> <li><i>Asarum gusuk</i></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Asarum_hartwegii/Kw7zc62d">Asarum hartwegii</a></i></li> <li><i>Asarum hayatanum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum heterotropoides</i> (synonym of <i>Asiasarum heterotropoides</i>)</li> <li><i>Asarum himalaicum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum hongkongense</i></li> <li><i>Asarum hypogynum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum ichangense</i></li> <li><i>Asarum inflatum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum insignis</i></li> <li><i>Asarum kooyanum</i></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Asarum_lemmonii/yAwpG1mg">Asarum lemmonii</a></i></li> <li><i>Asarum leptophyllum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum longerhizomatosum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum macranthum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum magnificum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum majale</i></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Asarum_marmoratum/9xXgfb42">Asarum marmoratum</a></i></li> <li><i>Asarum maruyamae</i></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Asarum_maximum/m8YIfIFK">Asarum maximum</a></i></li> <li><i>Asarum mikuniense</i></li> <li><i>Asarum minus</i></li> <li><i>Asarum mitoanum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum nanchuanense</i></li> <li><i>Asarum nobilissimum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum petelotii</i></li> <li><i>Asarum porphyronotum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum pulchellum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum renicordatum</i></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Asarum_rosei/HDCKWfFu">Asarum rosei</a></i></li> <li><i>Asarum sagittarioides</i></li> <li><i>Asarum senkakuinsulare</i></li> <li><i>Asarum sieboldii</i> (synonym of <i>Asiasarum sieboldii</i>)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Asarum_splendens/puWhTyNa">Asarum splendens</a></i></li> <li><i>Asarum taipingshanianum</i></li> <li><i>Asarum tohokuense</i></li> <li><i>Asarum tongjiangense</i></li> <li><i>Asarum wagneri</i></li> <li><i>Asarum wulingense</i></li> <li><i>Asarum yunnanense</i> (synonym of <i>Geotaenium yunnanse</i>)</li></ul> <h2 id="uses">Uses</h2> <p>Wild ginger can be cooked in the same fashion as ginger root, and can also be candied or used to make medicine.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <a href="/facts/Wikispecies/b2GhA7Le">Wikispecies</a> has information related to <i>Asarum</i>. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Asarum. <ul><li>Takashi Sugawara (1982). "Taxonomic studies of <i>Asarum sensu lato</i>". <i>Journal of Plant Research</i>. 95 (3): 295–302. <a href="/facts/Doi_(identifier)/muM9Etpq">doi</a>:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fbf02488540">10.1007/bf02488540</a>. <a href="/facts/S2CID_(identifier)/ldJsHa2Y">S2CID</a> <a href="https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:115785096">115785096</a>.</li> <li>Lawrence M. Kelly (2001). <a href="http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1043/0363-6445-26.1.17">"Taxonomy of Asarum Section Asarum (Aristolochiaceae)"</a>. <i>Systematic Botany</i>. 26 (1): 17–53. <a href="/facts/Doi_(identifier)/muM9Etpq">doi</a>:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1043%2F0363-6445-26.1.17">10.1043/0363-6445-26.1.17</a> (inactive 1 November 2024).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120224132425/http://www.vc-net.ne.jp/~oota/asarum2.htm">List of <i>Asarum</i> species</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.iarc.fr/">The International Agency for Research on Cancer</a>.</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Schaneberg BT, Applequist WL, Khan IA (October 2002). "Determination of aristolochic acid I and II in North American species of Asarum and Aristolochia". Pharmazie. 57 (10): 686–9. PMID 12426949. <a href="/wiki/PMID_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/PMID_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Aristolochic Acid: FDA Warns Consumers to Discontinue Use of Botanical Products that Contain Aristolochic Acid". U.S. Food and Drug Administration. April 11, 2001. <a href="https://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/Alerts/ucm096388.htm" target="_blank">https://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/Alerts/ucm096388.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Health Canada advising not to use products labelled to contain Aristolochia Archived February 16, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. <a href="http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/2001/2001_91_e.html" target="_blank">http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/2001/2001_91_e.html</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Lawrence M. Kelley (1998). "Phylogenetic relationships in Asarum (Aristolochiaceae) based on morphology and ITS sequences". American Journal of Botany. 85 (10): 1454–67. doi:10.2307/2446402. JSTOR 2446402. PMID 21684897. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>H.L. Blomquist (1957). "A revision of Hexastylis of North America". Brittonia. 8 (4): 255–281. Bibcode:1957Britt...8..255B. doi:10.2307/2804978. JSTOR 2804978. S2CID 34632340. <a href="/wiki/Bibcode_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Bibcode_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Blomquist <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Angier, Bradford (1974). Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books. p. 238. ISBN 0-8117-0616-8. OCLC 799792. <a href="0-8117-0616-8" target="_blank">0-8117-0616-8</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>