Birthwort
Aristolochia clematitis
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.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristolochia_clematitis
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Piperales
Family
Aristolochiaceae
Genus
Aristolochia
Birthwort belongs to the family Aristolochiaceae, order Piperales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
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.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
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.
Agricultural intensification and herbicide use
Habitat fragmentation and loss of field margins
Changes in traditional farming practices
Competition from invasive plant species
Urban development and land conversion
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Birthwort (Aristolochia clematitis). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/birthwort