Download Aristolochia elegans

Weeds of Australia - Biosecurity Queensland Edition Fact Sheet
Aristolochia elegans
Scientific Name
Aristolochia elegans Mast.
Synonyms
Aristolochia littoralis Parodi
infestation (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
Family
Aristolochiaceae
Common Names
calico flower, calico-flower, Dutchman's pipe, Dutchman's pipe vine, elegant
Dutchman's pipe, pipe vine
Origin
Native to South America (i.e. Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and
Argentina).
habit (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
Cultivation
Dutchman's pipe ( Aristolochia elegans) has been widely cultivated as a garden
ornamental, particularly in the warmer regions of eastern Australia.
Naturalised Distribution
This species is naturalised in the eastern parts of Australia, where it is relatively
widespread. It is common in the coastal districts of southern and central Queensland,
scattered in the coastal areas of northern Queensland, and sparingly naturalised in the
north-eastern corner of New South Wales (i.e. near Casino). Also naturalised on
Christmas Island.
leaves (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
Widely naturalised in the tropical regions of the world (e.g. Zimbabwe, South Africa,
Hawaii, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Fiji, the Cook Islands and south-eastern USA).
Habitat
Primarily a weed of rainforests, closed forests, urban bushland, disturbed sites,
roadsides, waste areas, waterways and forest margins in tropical and sub-tropical
regions. It is also a potential weed of plantation crops.
Habit
leaf (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
A vigorous climber with stems usually growing up to 3 m long, but occasionally reaching
up to 7 m or more in height.
Distinguishing Features
a climbing plant with slender twining stems and broad heart-shaped leaves.
there is a small ear-shaped leafy structure at the base of each leaf stalk.
its unusual tubular flowers (up to 10 cm across) are cream and reddishpurple and have a broad heart-shaped opening.
its cylindrical capsules (4-6 cm long) have a short projection at their tips and
split open from the top when mature.
these fruit contain numerous tear-shaped seeds.
Stems and Leaves
The twining stems are usually quite slender in nature, greenish in colour and hairless
(i.e. glabrous). Older stems may become woody or corky in texture, slightly fissured, and
brownish in colour.
paler leaf underside (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
The leaves are alternately arranged and borne on stalks (i.e. petioles) 15-50 mm long.
At the base of each leaf stalk there is a small leafy structure (i.e. pseudo-stipule) that is
ear-shaped (i.e. auriculate). The leaf blades are broad and somewhat heart-shaped (i.e.
cordate), kidney-shaped (i.e. reniform) or slightly triangular in appearance (3-10 cm
long and 3-12 cm wide). They are hairless (i.e. glabrous) and have entire margins. The
upper leaf surfaces are bright green in colour, while the undersides are paler (i.e.
discolorous) and slightly glaucous (i.e. bluish-green).
close-up of stem with ear-shaped structure near the base
of a leaf stalk (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
Flowers and Fruit
The showy flowers (about 7.5 cm long and 10 cm across) are borne singly in the leaf
forks (i.e. axils) on drooping stalks (i.e. pendulous peduncles) up to 7 cm long. The
'petals' are fused into a bent tube (i.e. actually a perianth tube), that resembles a
smoking pipe, with a broad heart-shaped opening. They are pale in colour (i.e. cream or
whitish) with numerous reddish or purplish blotches, and have a yellowish throat.
Flowering occurs mainly during summer.
young flower (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
The fruit are oblong or cylindrical capsules (4-6 cm long and about 2.5 cm wide) with a
short projection (about 10 mm long) at their tips. These capsules turn from green to
brown in colour as they mature and become somewhat papery in nature. They split
open from the top at maturity to release numerous (about 350) flattened, tear-shaped,
brown seeds (about 6 mm long).
Reproduction and Dispersal
This plant reproduces mostly by seeds. These relatively light seeds are usually released
from a significant height, hence dispersal is often wind-assisted. Seeds may also be
spread by water (if plants are growing along waterways) and in dumped garden waste.
flower (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
Environmental Impact
Dutchman's pipe ( Aristolochia elegans) is regarded as an environmental weed in
Queensland and New South Wales, and as a potential environmental weed or "sleeper
weed" in many other regions of Australia. It is of most concern in south-eastern
Queensland, and it was recently ranked among the top 50 most invasive plants in this
region. It is also regarded as a potentially serious environmental weed in north-eastern
New South Wales. Like many other species of exotic vines, Dutchman's pipe
( Aristolochia elegans) competes with and replaces native plants via its smothering
growth. It readily invades dry rainforests, lowland rainforests and riparian vegetation,
replacing native vines and preventing the growth and regeneration of other native
plants. Community groups are trying to eradicate this plant from
several environmentally significant locations in Queensland (e.g. in Burleigh Heads
National Park).
However, Dutchman's pipe ( Aristolochia elegans) is more well known for its impact on
the Richmond birdwing butterfly ( Ornithoptera richmondia). This butterfly is listed as a
vulnerable species under Queensland legislation and the invasion of remnant habitat by
Dutchman's pipe ( Aristolochia elegans) is a serious contributing factor to its decline.
Birdwing vine ( Pararistolochia praevenosa), a similar plant that is native to northern
New South Wales and southern Queensland, is the sole food plant of the Richmond
birdwing butterfly ( Ornithoptera richmondia). This native vine is being replaced by
Dutchman's pipe ( Aristolochia elegans ) making it hard for the female adult butterflies
to find. Because the exotic vine is so similar, the female butterflies are also fooled into
laying their eggs on it. However, Dutchman's pipe ( Aristolochia elegans ) is toxic to
the larvae and when they hatch they are unable to feed and eventually perish.
Therefore, removal of this weed is one of the primary strategies of the Richmond
Birdwing Recovery Network. The larvae of other native butterflies are also known
to perish on Dutchman's pipe ( Aristolochia elegans), including the big greasy ( Cressida
cressida) and the red-bodied swallowtail (Pachlopta polydorus).
immature fruit with short projection at the tip (Photo:
Sheldon Navie)
mature fruit (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
Legislation
This species is declared under legislation in the following states and territories:
Queensland: Class 3 - this species is primarily an environmental weed and a
pest control notice may be issued for land that is, or is adjacent to, an
environmentally significant area (throughout the entire state). It is also illegal
to sell a declared plant or its seed in this state. Note: All non-indigenous
species of Aristolochia are also declared in Queensland.
Western Australia: Prohibited - on the prohibited species list and not
permitted entry into the state.
Management
For information on the management of this species see the following resources:
mature fruit releasing its seeds (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
the Biosecurity Queensland Fact Sheet on this species, which is available
online at http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au.
close-up of mature fruit with seeds (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
the information page on Dutchman's pipe vine ( Aristolochia elegans) on the
Brisbane Rainforest Action and Information Network (BRAIN) website
at http://www.brisrain.webcentral.com.au.
a brief educational film, that discusses the problems caused by this
species and methods of control, on the Save Our Waterways Now (SOWN)
website at http://www.saveourwaterwaysnow.com.au.
Similar Species
close-up of tear-shaped seeds (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
Dutchman's pipe ( Aristolochia elegans) is similar to several closely related introduced
species that have also become naturalised in Australia, including pelican flower
( Aristolochia grandiflora), fragrant Dutchman's pipe ( Arsitolochia odoratissima) and
gaping Dutchman's pipe ( Aristolochia ringens). It is also very similar to the cultivated
giant dutchman's pipe ( Aristolochia gigantea) which is often confused with pelican
flower ( Aristolochia grandiflora) in the horticultural industry. These species can be
distinguished by the following differences:
Dutchman's pipe ( Aristolochia elegans) has a small ear-like structure (i.e.
auriculate pseudo-stipule) at the base of each leaf stalk. Its flowers are
relatively large and broad (up to 7.5 cm long and 10 cm wide) and its
relatively large fruit (4-6 cm long and about 2.5 cm wide) are oblong in shape
with a short projection (about 10 mm long) at the tip.
seedling (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
giant dutchman's pipe ( Aristolochia gigantea ) does not have a small ear-like
structure (i.e. auriculate pseudo-stipule) at the base of each leaf stalk. Its
flowers are very large and broad (up to 30 cm long and 20 cm wide) and its
relatively large fruit (up to 8 cm long and 3 cm wide) are oblong in shape with
a very short projection at the tip.
pelican flower ( Aristolochia grandiflora) does not have a small ear-like
structure (i.e. auriculate pseudo-stipule) at the base of each leaf stalk.
Its flowers are very large (up to 25 cm long) with a very elongated projection
at the base of the flower (i.e. appendix) 20-50 cm long. Its very large fruit are
oblong in shape (about 10 cm long and 4-6 cm wide).
gaping Dutchman's pipe (Aristolochia ringens), with young
two-lobed flower (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
fragrant Dutchman's pipe ( Arsitolochia odoratissima) has a small ear-like
structure (i.e. auriculate pseudo-stipule) at the base of each leaf stalk. Its
flowers are relatively large and broad (6-12 cm wide) and its moderately
large fruit (4.5-8 cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide) are oblong in shape and slightly
curved.
gaping Dutchman's pipe ( Aristolochia ringens) has a small ear-like structure
(i.e. auriculate pseudo-stipule) at the base of each leaf stalk. Its flowers are
relatively large and narrow (10-25 cm long) and are split into an upper and
lower lobe.
There are also several silimar native species (i.e. Aristolochia spp. and Pararistolochia
spp.) that might be confused with these introduced species, including the Birdwing vine
( Pararistolochia praevenosa). These native species generally have less showy flowers,
which are sometimes borne in clusters, and smaller fruit. For example, the Birdwing
vine ( Pararistolochia praevenosa) has relatively small flowers (up to 20 mm long) that
are borne in few flowered clusters while its fruit are oblong in shape (3-4 cm long)
and do not have a projection.
the native Birdwing vine (Pararistolochia
praevenosa), which has less spectacular flowers (Photo:
Biosecurity Queensland, QDPI&F)
Fact sheets are available from Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) service centres and our Customer Service Centre (telephone 13
25 23). Check our website at www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au to ensure you have the latest version of this fact sheet. The control methods referred to in this fact sheet
should be used in accordance with the restrictions (federal and state legislation, and local government laws) directly or indirectly related to each control method. These
restrictions may prevent the use of one or more of the methods referred to, depending on individual circumstances. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of
this information, DEEDI does not invite reliance upon it, nor accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused by actions based on it.
Copyright © 2016. All rights reserved. Identic Pty Ltd. Special edition of Environmental Weeds of Australia for Biosecurity Queensland.
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