A Taxonomic Study of Asarum (Aristolochiaceae) in Korea

Abstract

Taxonomic treatment and the identification key for 6 species and 4 varieties from the genus Asarum (Aristolochiaceae) in Korea were presented on the basis of the morphological analyses. Recently the taxonomy of the genus Asarum in Korea is controversial in the definition of species and the establishment of variation range. Our morphological studies supported that the species A. patens, A. misandrum and A. versicolor should be recognized as independent species by the unique morphological characters such as calyx lobes, stylar protuberance and leaf variegation. Second, A. sieboldii var. cornutum, A. koreanum, A. maculatum and A. sonunsanense, regarded as species or variety by different scholars, showed a close relationship with A. sieboldii by the similar calyx characters. Thus, new combinations, such as A. sieboldii for. cornutum, A. sieboldii for. koreanum, A. sieboldii for. maculatum and A. sieboldii for. sonunsanense, are proposed. And A. heterotropoides var. seoulense and A. heterotropoides var. mandshuricum also had a close relationship, thus, new combinations, A. mandshuricum for. seoulense, A. mandshuricum for. mandshuricum, are proposed. Furthermore, it is appropriate that A. heterotropoides var. heterotropoides, only distributed in Japan, is revised into A. heterotropoides as independent species by the unique character from the 2 varieties above. Consequently, the genus Asarum in Korea is classified into 3 species and 7 forma.