Kiiretsuchi Torimochi - Kiiretsuchi Torimochi

A perennial plant of the family Pittosporum (APG classification: Pittosporum tobira) that parasitizes the roots of trees such as Pittosporum tobira and U. umbellata. The rhizome is tuberous and has no lenticels. The flower stalk is erect, 10-15 cm tall, and has fleshy, pale yellow, scaly leaves. It is monoecious. Flowering season is October-November. The inflorescence is terminal, ovate or narrowly ovate, yellowish white, and densely covered with female flowers, with somewhat large male flowers scattered here and there among them. The female flowers have no perianth, a single chambered ovary, and a thin style. The male flowers are stalked with three perianths, three stamens, and sessile anthers. The fruit does not dehisce and contains one seed. It is distributed in Kochi Prefecture, southern Kyushu, Okinawa, and Taiwan. The Japanese name, Kiire, comes from the name of the place where it was first discovered, Kiire Town, Ibusuki County, Kagoshima Prefecture (now Kagoshima City).

[Junko Kobayashi February 17, 2021]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ツチトリモチ科（APG分類：ツチトリモチ科）の多年草。トベラやシャリンバイなどの樹木の根に寄生する。根茎は塊根状で皮目がない。花茎は直立し、高さ10～15センチメートルで肉質、淡黄色の鱗片葉(りんぺんよう)をつける。雌雄同株。花期10～11月。花序は頂生し卵形または狭卵形で黄白色、表面に雌花を密生し、その間のところどころにやや大形の雄花を散生する。雌花には花被(かひ)がなく、子房は1室で花柱は細い。雄花は有柄で3枚の花被があり、雄しべは3本、葯(やく)は無柄。果実は裂開せず種子は1個。高知県、九州南部、沖縄および台湾に分布する。和名のキイレは、最初の発見地、鹿児島県揖宿(いぶすき)郡喜入(きいれ)町（現、鹿児島市）の地名に基づく。

［小林純子　2021年2月17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