Inukoriyanagi - Inukoriyanagi

A deciduous shrub of the Salicaceae family (APG classification: Salicaceae). Dioecious. Winter buds have a single deep cap-shaped scale. Leaves are opposite or alternate, oblong, glabrous, green on top and whitish on the underside, short-stalked or almost stalkless. The tips are round or slightly acute, the bases are round or shallow-cordate, and the edges may or may not have fine serrations. From spring to early summer, before the leaves appear, flower spikes 2-3 cm long appear. The upper halves of the bracts are black and persistent. Flowers have one abdominal gland. There are two stamens and one filament fused together. The ovary is densely covered with short white hairs, the style is short, and there are two stigmas, each of which is bifurcated. It is distributed throughout Japan, Korea, China, and Russia, and prefers waterside areas. The name is derived from the fact that although it resembles a Korean willow, it is useless.

[Sadao Sugaya July 21, 2020]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ヤナギ科（APG分類：ヤナギ科）の落葉低木。雌雄異株。冬芽の鱗片(りんぺん)は1枚で深帽状。葉は対生ないし互生で長楕円(ちょうだえん)形無毛、表面は緑色で裏面は帯白色、短柄をもつか、ほぼ無柄。先は円ないしやや鋭頭、基部は円または浅心形、縁(へり)に細鋸歯(さいきょし)があるか、またはない。春から初夏にかけて、葉が出る前に長さ2～3センチメートルの花穂を出す。包葉は上半部は黒色で残存性。花は腹腺(ふくせん)体1個。雄しべは2本、花糸は合生して1本となっている。子房は白色の短毛が密生し、花柱は短く、柱頭は2個あり、それぞれ2裂する。日本全土、朝鮮、中国、ロシアに分布し、水辺を好む。名は、コリヤナギに似ているが無用なのでいう。

［菅谷貞男　2020年7月21日］

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