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The Aristolochiaceae , or the Birthworth family, are a family of flowering plants with 7 genera and about 400 species, belonging to the order Piperales.

The Aristolochiaceae are basal dicots ( paleodicots), most closely related orders Magnoliales, Laurales, Canellales, and Piperales, which form a monophyletic clade called the Magnoliid s.

Some newer classification schemes, such as the Update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, place the family Aristolochiacea in the order Piperales, but it is still quite common, though superseded, for the Aristolochiaceae to be assigned their own order (Aristolochiales).

They are mostly perennial herbaceous plants, shrubs, woody vines or even lianas.

The membranous, cordate simple leavesThis article is about the leaf a plant organ. See Leaf (disambiguation) for other meanings. In botany, a leaf is an above-ground plant organ specialized for photosynthesis. For this purpose, a leaf is typically flat and thin, to expose the chloroplast con are spread out, growing alternately along the stem on leaf stalks. The margins are commonly entire. There are no stipules.

The bizarre flowers are large to medium-sized, growing in the leaf axils. They are bilaterally or radially symmetrical.

Many members of Aristolochia and some of Asarumcontain the toxin aristolochic acidAristolochic acid is a rodent carcinogen found in Aristolochia species and in Asarum species, both in the Aristolochiaceae family of plants. Aristolochic acid occurs in two forms, aristolochic acid I and aristolochic acid II. Organic compounds., which discourages herbivoreIn zoology, an herbivore is an animal that is adapted to eat primarily plants (rather than meat). Thus, while humans may choose not to eat meat, such individuals are vegetarians, not herbivores. A true herbivore, such as a cow, is unable to chew or digests and is carcinogenicIn pathology, a carcinogen is any substance or agent that promotes cancer. Carcinogens are also often, but not necessarily, mutagens or teratogens. Carcinogens cause cancer by altering DNA in cells, interfering with normal biological processes. Usually ce in ratThis is an article about wild rats; for pet rats, see Fancy rat 50 species; see text Several subfamilies of Muridsinclude animals called rats. A rat is a small omnivorous rodent of the genus Rattus . Rats are mammals somewhat bigger than their relatives ts. Aristolochia itself is carcinogenic to humanHuman beings are defined variously in biological, spiritual, and cultural terms, or in combinations thereof. Biologically, they are classified as Homo sapiens ( Latin for knowing man , a primate species of mammal with a highly developed brain. In spirituas.

Pipevine swallowtail butterflies lay their eggs on pipevine (Aristolochia species), and the larvae dine on the plant but are not affected by the toxin, which then offers the adult butterfly protection against predators.