''Aristolochia grandiflora'', the pelican flower, is a deciduous vine with one of the world's largest flowers that emits an odor that smells like rotting feet, attracting flies.

Description

''Aristolochia grandiflora'' produces large solitary flowers from cordate leaf axils. Leaves can be up to wide. Flowers are heart shaped: wide and have tails that are up to . The flower is green/white with purple/brown veins. The center of the flower is darker colored, which attracts pollinators along with a distinctive odor to its reproductive elements. The flower has three sections, utricle, tube and limb, characteristic to all Aristolochiaceae.

Distribution

The plant is native to the

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

and Central America, and has been introduced to Florida in the United States as an attractor of

butterflies Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...

. It is found in tropical forests near streams and gullies.

Reproduction

''Aristolochia grandiflora'' is pollinated by breeding flies attracted by an odor produced by the flower. The odor is a combination of essential oils. Flies travel down the tubular part of the flower to the utricle where the reproductive organs are found. The tube is lined with trichomes that direct the fly down to the utricle and prevent the fly from moving out. The reproduction contains three main phases. The first phase, the fly carrying pollen from other flowers pollinates the carpel. During the second phase, the

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...

mature releasing pollen on the fly. This phase lasts one day. While trapped inside the flower, the fly eats nectar produced along the walls of the utricle. The trichomes then are signaled to wither, allowing for the fly to escape. The entire reproductive process lasts two days before flower

senescence Senescence () or biological aging is the gradual deterioration of functional characteristics in living organisms. The word ''senescence'' can refer to either cellular senescence or to senescence of the whole organism. Organismal senescence inv ...

and abscission occur in the third phase.

Uses

''Aristolochia grandiflora'' has been used for ornamental purposes, as a food source, and in traditional medicine. ''A. grandiflora'' is a food source for

swallowtail butterfly Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies in the family Papilionidae, and include over 550 species. Though the majority are tropical, members of the family inhabit every continent except Antarctica. The family includes the large ...

larvae. These butterflies become unpalatable to predators when they consume the terpenes in this plant.

Chemical constituents

The use of this plant poses a risk as it contains the toxin

aristolochic acid Aristolochic acids () are a family of carcinogenic, mutagenic, and nephrotoxic phytochemicals commonly found in the flowering plant family Aristolochiaceae (birthworts). Aristolochic acid (AA) I is the most abundant one. The family Aristolochiacea ...

which is carcinogenic. The USDA has banned all products containing this compound. ''A. grandiflora'' contains many different alkaloids (bisbenzylisoquinolinic and 8-benzylberberinic) which aid in chemical defenses against insects and plant microbes. Chemicals in the essential oils include α-phellandrene and linalool from the stems and roots;

germacrene D Germacrenes are a class of volatile organic hydrocarbons, specifically, sesquiterpenes. Germacrenes are typically produced in a number of plant species for their antimicrobial and insecticidal properties, though they also play a role as insect ...

and γ-elemene from the leaves; and ''trans''-nerolidol and geraniol from the stem and flower.

Other species

Other species of ''

Aristolochia ''Aristolochia'' () is a large plant genus with over 500 species that is the type genus of the family Aristolochiaceae. Its members are commonly known as birthwort, pipevine or Dutchman's pipe and are widespread and occur in the most diverse clima ...

'' are also called "pelican flowers"; e.g. '' Aristolochia gigantea'' (giant pelican flower) and ''

Aristolochia nana ''Aristolochia'' () is a large plant genus with over 500 species that is the type genus of the family (biology), family Aristolochiaceae. Its members are commonly known as birthwort, pipevine or Dutchman's pipe and are widespread and occur in the ...

'' (tiny pelican flower).

References

External links

Aristolochia grandiflora
profile at USDA

Kew Gardens {{Taxonbar, from=Q135693 grandiflora Flora of the Caribbean Flora of Florida Medicinal plants of Central America Flora without expected TNC conservation status