Willow tree - Kawayanagi

A deciduous shrub or small tree of the Salicaceae family (APG classification: Salicaceae). The leaves are narrowly oblong or narrowly lanceolate with slightly outwardly curled edges, and the undersides are initially covered with white silky hairs, but later become almost hairless. Dioecious. In early spring, before the leaves appear, the plant produces 2-3 cm flower spikes. The bracts are obovate, the lower part is black, and covered with soft hairs. The male flowers have two stamens, the filaments are united, and the anthers are yellow or crimson yellow, while the other united stamens are red. The ovary of the female flower has a short stalk and is densely covered with white hairs. It grows near water on plains, and is distributed in Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Ussuri, China, and Korea. The main type of river willow that herbalists in the Edo period referred to was the pussy willow.

[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）の落葉低木ないし小高木。葉は狭長楕円(だえん)形ないし狭披針(ひしん)形で縁(へり)はすこし外に巻き、裏面は初め白い絹毛があるが、のちにほぼ無毛になる。雌雄異株。早春、葉が出る前に2～3センチメートルの花穂を出す。包葉は倒卵形で下部は黒色、軟らかい毛がある。雄花の雄しべは2本、花糸は合体し、葯(やく)は黄ないし紅黄色、ほかの合体雄蕊(ゆうずい)では紅色である。雌花の子房は短い柄があり白毛が密生する。平野の水辺に生え、北海道、本州、四国およびウスリー、中国、朝鮮に分布する。江戸時代の本草(ほんぞう)家のいうカワヤナギの主体はネコヤナギである。

［菅谷貞男　2020年7月21日］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例