Heartleaf facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Heartleaf
Hexastylis arifolia
Hexastylis heterophylla (variable-leaf heartleaf wild ginger) growing with violets.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Magnoliids
Order:	Piperales
Family:	Aristolochiaceae
Genus:	Hexastylis Raf.

Hexastylis is a group of plants also known as heartleaf. These plants are very closely related to another group called Asarum. Both belong to the plant family Aristolochiaceae.

Heartleaf plants are special because they are found only in southeastern North America. This means they are endemic to that area. There are about ten different kinds, or species, of heartleaf plants.

These plants are perennial, which means they live for more than two years. They are also evergreen, keeping their leaves all year round. Heartleaf plants are herbaceous, meaning they have soft stems, not woody ones like trees. Their leaves and flowers grow right from underground stems called rhizomes.

Scientists used to think Hexastylis was its own separate group. But now, with new studies of their shapes and DNA, they know that heartleaf plants are actually part of the Asarum group.

Kinds of Heartleaf Plants

There are eleven known species of Hexastylis:

• Hexastylis arifolia
• Hexastylis contracta
• Hexastylis finzeli
• Hexastylis heterophylla
• Hexastylis lewisii
• Hexastylis minor
• Hexastylis naniflora
• Hexastylis rhombiformis
• Hexastylis shuttleworthii
• Hexastylis sorriei
• Hexastylis speciosa
• Hexastylis virginica