Aristolochia californica Torr. (California Pipevine)
Credit: Samridhi Chaturvedi
about the species
The California Pipevine is the only endemic California species within the cosmopolitan birthwort family Aristolochiaceae (Levy and Connor 2004; Ornduff, Faber, and Wolf 2003) and is a twining deciduous vine of the bay-laurel-oak understory in riparian areas, chaparral and in forest edges and windrows. This California endemic species is likely to be pollinated by midges using a deceptive pollination syndrome.
why species was selected
The range of this species within north-central California, including large Bay Area cities and the Central Valley, almost exactly overlaps with that of its major specialized herbivore, B. philenor hirsuta. Largely a riparian species, California Pipevine is highly susceptible to habitat degradation and destruction the plant has been locally extirpated from several areas (Wong n.d.). Because it serves as the only food source for this iconic butterfly, the potential for co-evolution and co-extinction is particularly salient. This, like the butterfly, is widely recognized by Californians, is grown in many gardens, and, yet, we still know relatively little about it.
