Oyamabokuchi - Oyamabokuchi

A perennial plant of the Asteraceae family (APG classification: Asteraceae). The stem is erect, 1-1.5 meters tall, and purple in color. The basal leaves are large and ovate, 20-35 cm long, and have dense white fluff on the underside. The stem leaves are alternate and gradually become smaller as they move upwards. In September and October, the upper part of the stem branches, and at the end of the branch, a large flower head appears, which opens downward. The involucre is round and bell-shaped, 3-4 cm long. The involucre segments are narrowly lanceolate, 1.5-2 mm wide at the middle, hard, and the outer segments open. It is distributed in a somewhat stepping-stone pattern in Hokkaido, eastern Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and central and southern mainland China. It grows in sunny, slightly dry grasslands in mountainous areas. It is sometimes cultivated by farmers because young leaves are put into mochi (rice cakes). In some regions, it is also called yamagobo. Yamabokuchi and Habayamabokuchi have slightly thin and small leaves, and their flower heads are also small. The leaves of Yamabokuchi are ovate with a heart-shaped base, while the leaves of Habayamabokuchi are triangular with a slightly arrowhead-shaped base.

[Hiroji Koyama February 18, 2022]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

キク科（APG分類：キク科）の多年草。茎は直立し、高さ1～1.5メートル、紫色を帯びる。根出葉は大形、卵形で、長さ20～35センチメートル、裏面に白色の綿毛が密生する。茎葉は互生し、上方へしだいに小形となる。9～10月、茎上部が分枝し、その先に大きな頭状花をつけ、下向きに開く。総包は丸い鐘形で、長さ3～4センチメートル。総包片は狭披針(きょうひしん)形、中ほどで幅1.5～2ミリメートル、堅く、外片は開出する。北海道、本州東部、四国、九州および中国大陸中南部にやや飛び石的に分布する。山地の日当りのよいやや乾いた草原に生える。若葉を餅(もち)に入れて食べるため農家で栽培されることもある。地方によりヤマゴボウとも称される。ヤマボクチ、ハバヤマボクチは葉はやや薄くて小さく、頭状花も小さい。ヤマボクチの葉は卵形で基部は心臓形であるが、ハバヤマボクチの葉は三角形で基部はやや矢じり形である。

［小山博滋　2022年2月18日］

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