Asarum celsum

Botanical Description

Asarum celsum is a low-growing, evergreen perennial plant producing a cluster of leaves up to 15cm tall from a creeping rootstock, The rather interesting, but unpleasant-smelling flowers are hidden amongst the leaves. The plant will die down in cold winters[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ] The plant is harvested illegally from the wild for medicinal use and also to supply plants for cultivation[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ]. Endemic to the Amami-Oshima island in Nansei-shoto Islands, Japan, the number of individuals (population size is less than 1,000) is declining because of illegal collection and because the habitat is drying out as a result of logging. The species is protected but the habitat needs wider and stronger protection. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].