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The Asarum maximum belongs to Aristolochiaceae (the Birthwort family). It is a perennial everhreen herb that is distributed in central China, from Hubei to Sichuan provinces. It grows in humus in forests. The leaves are broadly ovate to narrowly ovate with a deep heart at the base and long petioles. It produces black-purple and white flowers with sepals without petals from April to May. The three sepals are urn-shaped and spread out at the tips, which are blackish purple around the edges, white on the inside, and purple at the throat. The Japanese name is derived from the flower's coloring, which resembles that of a "giant panda". Its Chinese name is "大葉馬蹄香".
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