Birthwort
EN

Birthwort

Aristolochia clematitis

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristolochia_clematitis

Overview

Aristolochia clematitis, or European birthwort, is a twining herbaceous plant in the family Aristolochiaceae, which is native to most of central and southern Europe and parts of western Asia, and naturalised further north in Europe.

Birthwort (Aristolochia clematitis) faces significant decline primarily due to habitat loss from agricultural intensification and urban development. The species is particularly vulnerable to changes in traditional farming practices and the conversion of semi-natural grasslands and field margins where it historically thrived.

Threat summary

Habitat

TERRESTRIAL· majorTERRESTRIAL· majorTERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Aristolochiaceae

VU

Peltate Dutchman's Pipe

Aristolochia peltata

Unknown
CR

Aristolochia clavidenia

Unknown
CR

Aristolochia tigrina

Unknown
Aristolochia baracoensisCR

Aristolochia baracoensis

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Birthwort classified as Endangered?
Birthwort is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. Birthwort (Aristolochia clematitis) faces significant decline primarily due to habitat loss from agricultural intensification and urban development. The species is particularly vulnerable to changes in traditional farming practices and the conversion of semi-natural grasslands and field margins where it historically thrived.
Where does Birthwort live?
Birthwort occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Birthwort?
The main threats to Birthwort are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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