Astragalus

Astragalus anthylloides

Astragalus (As-trá-ga-lus) is a large genus of about 2,000 species of herbs and small shrubs, belonging to the legume family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. The genus is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Common names include milk-vetch (most species) and goat's-thorn (A. gummifera, A. tragacanthus). Some pale-flowered vetches are similar in appearance, but vetches are more vine-like.

Astragalus hyalolepis

Astragalus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the following case-bearers of the genus Coleophora: C. astragalella (feeds exclusively on A. glycyphyllos), C. cartilaginella (feeds exclusively on Astragalus), C. colutella, C. euryaulaAstragalus), C. gallipennella (feeds exclusively on A. glycyphyllos), C. hippodromica (feeds exclusively on A. gombo), C. onobrychiella (feeds exclusively on Astragalus), C. polonicella (feeds exclusively on A. arenarius) and C. vicinella.


Astragalus ponticus

Astragalus vulnerariae

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Tribe:	Galegeae
Genus:	Astragalus

Arum

Arum is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean region.

They are rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial plants growing to 20-60 cm tall, with saggitate (arrowhead-shaped) leaves 10-55 cm long. The flowers are produced in a spadix, surrounded by a 10-40 cm long, coloured spathe, which may be white, yellow, brown or purple; some species are scented, others not. The fruit is a cluster of bright orange or red berries.

All parts of the plants are poisonous, containing significant amounts of calcium oxalate.

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Liliopsida
Order:	Alismatales
Family:	Araceae
Genus:	Arum L.

Arnebia pulchra

Prophet-flower (Arnebia) - A handsome and distinct perennial, 1 foot to 18 inches high. A. echioides has flowers of a bright primrose-yellow, with five black spots on the corolla, which gradually fade and finally disappear. It is hardy either on the rock garden or in a well-drained border, and prefers partial shade. A native of the Caucasus and Northern Persia, and though long introduced is still among the rarest of hardy flowers. Young plants bloom long, which adds to their charms. Increased by seeds and by root cuttings in winter.

Family	Boraginaceae
Synonyms	Arnebia echioides
Type	perennial

Aristolochia

Aristolochia rechingeriana

Aristolochia is a large plant genus with over 500 species. Collectively known as birthworts, pipevines or Dutchman's pipes, they are the namesake of the family (Aristolochiaceae). They are widespread and occur in the most diverse climates, but they are not native to Australia. Some species, like A. utriformisA. westlandii, are threatened with extinction.
and

This is a genus of evergreen and deciduous woody vines and herbaceous perennials. The smooth stem is erect or somewhat twining. The simple leaves are alternate and cordate, membranous, growing on leaf stalks. There are no stipules.

The flowers grow in the leaf axils. They are inflated and globose at the base, continuing as a long perianth tube, ending in a tongue-shaped, brightly colored lobe. There is no corolla. The calyx is one to three whorled, and three to six toothed. The sepals are united (gamosepalous). There are six to 40 stamens in one whorl. They are united with the style, forming a gynostemium. The ovary is inferior and is four to six locular.

These flowers have a specialized pollination mechanism. The plants are aromatic and their strong scent attracts insects. The inner part of the perianth tube is covered with hairs, acting as a fly-trap. These hairs then wither to release the fly, covered with pollen.

The fruit is dehiscent capsule with many endospermic seeds.

The common names "Dutchman's Pipe" and "Pipevine" (e.g. Common Pipevine, A. durior) are an allusion to old-fashioned meerschaum pipes at one time common in the Netherlands and Northern Germany. "Birthwort" (e.g. European Birthwort, A. clematitis) refers to these species' flower shape, resembling a birth canal. Some reference books^{[citation needed]} state that the scientific name Aristolochia was developed from Ancient Greek aristos (άριστος) "best" + locheia (λοχεία), "childbirth" or "childbed".

Medical use and toxicity

A. clematitis was highly regarded as a medical plant since the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, and on to until the Early Modern era; it plays also a minor role in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is however most notable for containing toxic aristolochic acid, sometimes in quantities fatal to humans.

Due to the Doctrine of signatures "birthwort" was used in childbirth. A preparation was given to women in labor to expel the placenta, but the aristolochic acid may just as well kill the patient.
Virginia Snakeroot (A. serpentaria) is thus named because the root was used to treat snakebite, also with a rather equivocal degree of success. A. pfeiferi, A. rugosa and A. trilobata are also used in folk medicine to cure snakebites. Aristolochic acid does indeed appear to bind and deactivate the Phospholipase A2 of certain snake venoms.

Others claim that a decoction of birthwort stimulates the production and increases the activity of leukocytes (white blood cells), or that pipevines contain a disinfectantwound healing. Aristolochia bracteolata is colloquially known as "Worm Killer" due to supposed antihelminthic activity. which assists in

Epidemiological and laboratory studies shown the toxicity of herbal remedies containing plant species of the genus Aristolochia. Herbal compounds containing Aristolochia are classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

In July 1999, two cases of nephropathy associated with the use of Chinese botanical preparations were reported in the United Kingdom. These preparations were shown to contain aristolochic acid. Biopsy samples showed extensive loss of cortical tubules with interstitial fibrosis. In 1993, a series of end-stage renal disease cases had been reportedBelgium associated with a weight loss treatment, where Stephania tetrandra in a herbal preparation was suspected of being substituted with Aristolochia fangchi. More than 105 patients were identified with nephropathy following the ingestion of this preparation from the same clinic from 1990-1992. Many required renal transplantation or dialysis. Subsequent follow up of these patients has shown they are at an increased risk of urological cancer. Note that in TCM neither plant is used for prolonged weight loss treatments. from

It appears as if contamination of grain with European Birthwort (A. clematitis) is a cause of Balkan nephropathy, a severe renal disease occurring in parets of southeastern Europe.

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Subclass:	Magnoliidae
Order:	Piperales
Family:	Aristolochiaceae
Genus:	Aristolochia

Arisarum vulgare

Small, seasonally dormant herbs, stem an ovoid to cylindric tuber or slender rhizome (A. proboscideum) with stolons. Leaves 1 - 2( -3); petiole often sparsely spotted, sheath short; lamina cordate-sagittate to subhastate; primary lateral veins pinnate and also arising at petiole insertion, forming submarginal collective vein, 2 marginal veins also present, higher order venation reticulate. Inflorescence solitary, appearing with leaves; peduncle shorter or equalling leaf, often spotted; spathe eventually evanescent, tube erect, margins connate, cylindric to subventricose, slightly constricted at apex, white or with white to pale green longitudinal stripes, blade fornicate, gaping, sometimes subtomentose, apex cuspidate or drawn out into a very long, erect to twisted thread, greenish or brownish or purple-brown; spadix with female zone adnate to spathe, 2 - 5-flowered, contiguous with male zone, male zone laxly flowered, extending for more than half spathe tube length, appendix naked, either stipitate with massive apical knob, or stipitate with thick, clavate, basally truncate, fungoid, apical region, or not stipitate and slenderly clavate. Flowers unisexual, perigone absent. Staminate flowers 1-androus, filament terete, as long or longer than anther, anther peltately attached, circular, connective slender, thecae apically confluent, dehiscing by single continuous slit; pistillate flowers ovary 1-locular, depressed-globose, ovules many, orthotropous, funicle short, placenta basal, stylar region ± abruptly narrowed, stigma small, subhemispheric; berry hemispheric, flattened at apex with elevated angled margins, few-seeded, pericarp carnose-leathery, style base persistent; seed ovoid, with large, irregularly conoid strophiole (aril), testa longitudinally rugose, embryo terete, straight, axile, endosperm copious. 2n = 28, 42, 56.

DISTRIBUTION. Mediterranean Europe, Macaronesia:– Alb Albania, Algeria, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France (incl. Corsica), Greece (incl. Crete), Israel, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Malta, Morocco, Portugal (incl. Azores), Serbia, Slovenia, Spain (incl. Balearics, Canary Is.), Syria, Tunisia, Turkey.

ECOLOGY. Warm temperate scrub and woodland; geophytes, on stony ground in macchie ("maquis"), between rocks or under trees and shrubs.

ETYMOLOGY. Derived from the Greek word arisaron (as used by Dioscorides in reference to aris, aridos, the name of a small herb mentioned by Pliny, possibly Arisarum itself and aron (Arum)).

Species name:	Arisarum vulgare Targ. Tozz.
Author(s):	Giovanni Targioni Tozzetti; Italy, 1712-1783
General names:	Friar's Cowl, Arison
Maltese name:	Garni tal-Pipi
Plant Family:	Araceae (Arum Family)
Name Derivation:	Arisarum = Name first given by Dioschorides for A. vulgare; (Greek). vulgare = Common or ordinary, since it is found in abundant numbers. (Latin)

Arbutus unedo

The Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo L.) is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the familyEricaceae, native to the Mediterranean region and western Europe north to western France and Ireland. Due to its presence in South West Ireland, it is also known as Irish strawberry tree, and Killarney strawberry tree.

The Strawberry Tree grows to 5-10 m tall, rarely up to 15 m, with a trunk diameter of up to 80 cm.

The leaves are dark green and glossy, 5-10 cm long and 2-3 cm broad, with a serrated margin.

The hermaphrodite flowers are white (rarely pale pink), bell-shaped, 4-6 mm diameter, produced panicles of 10-30 together in autumn. They are pollinated by bees.

The fruit is a red aggregate drupe 1-2 cm diameter, sometimes called arbutus-berry, with a rough surface, maturing 12 months at the same time as the next flowering. The fruit is edible, though many people find it bland and mealy; the name 'unedo' is explained by Pliny the Elder as being derived from unum edo "I eat one", which may seem an apt response to the flavour. They mainly serve as food for birds but in some countries they are used to make jam and liqueurs (such as the Portuguese medronho, a kind of strong brandy).

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ericaceae
Genus:	Arbutus
Species:	A. unedo

Aquilegia olympica

Aquilegia (columbine) is a genus of about 60-70 species of herbaceous perennial plants that are found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere. They are known for their distinctive flowers, generally bell-shaped, with each petal modified into an elongated nectar spur.

Several species are grown in gardens; Aquilegia vulgaris (European Columbine) is a traditional garden flower in the British Isles, and several of the species that are native to North America are popular garden plants there. Numerous hybrids have also been developed as well. They are easy to propagate from seed.

They are used as food plants by some Lepidoptera species including Cabbage Moth, Dot Moth, The EngrailedMouse Moth. and. The traditional colors of lavender/blue columbines are the official Colorado state flower.

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Ranunculales
Family:	Ranunculaceae
Genus:	Aquilegia