Yellow top nail - Yellow top nail

A perennial plant of the Violaceae family (APG classification: Violaceae). Its stems are soft, growing obliquely upward, and have 3-4 sparsely spaced leaves. The leaves are oblate-cordate, 1-2 cm long, 1.5-3.5 cm wide, and have noticeable short hairs on the edges. The stipules are narrowly ovate, entire, and green. The flowers bloom from May to July, and are yellow with purple stripes on the lower petals. The upper four petals open by bending upward, the lower petals are larger than the others, and are hemispherical with a short spur. It is distributed in cold grasslands in the Northern Hemisphere. In the gravel areas of the alpine zone in Japan, a similar species, V. crassa Makino, is distributed, which is hard, hairless, and has glossy leaves. It is said to be distributed in areas surrounding Japan as well as Tibet.

[Hashimoto Tamotsu July 21, 2020]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

スミレ科（APG分類：スミレ科）の多年草。全体に柔らかく、茎は斜め上に伸び、3、4枚の葉がまばらにつく。葉は扁円(へんえん)状心臓形、長さ1、2センチメートル、幅1.5～3.5センチメートル、縁(へり)の短毛が目だつ。托葉(たくよう)は狭卵形、全縁で緑色。花は5～7月に開き、黄色で下弁に紫色の筋(すじ)があり、上の4弁は上向きに反り返って開き、下弁は他よりも大きく、距(きょ)は短い半球形。北半球の寒冷な草地に分布する。日本の高山帯の礫地(れきち)には、これに似るが全体が硬く、無毛で葉に光沢があるタカネスミレV. crassa Makinoが分布する。日本周辺地域のほかチベットにも分布するといわれる。

［橋本　保　2020年7月21日］

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