Kuwaxa - Kuwaxa

Japanese: クワクサ - くわくさ

An annual weed of the mulberry family commonly found in fields and roadsides (illustration). The stem is 30-80cm tall, erect and branching. The leaves are alternate, long-stalked, ovate, thin, hairy and rough on both sides. The edges have coarse serrations. Inflorescences appear in the leaf axils from September to October, with a mixture of male and female flowers. Male flowers have four perianths arranged opposite each other and containing stamens. The filaments initially bend inwards but suddenly open to release pollen. Female flowers have four perianths and one pistil. The fruit consists of two layers: a transparent, juicy exocarp and a tough endocarp; the inside is pinched by the turgor pressure of the exocarp and is thrown off.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

畑や道ばたに普通なクワ科の一年生雑草（イラスト）。茎は高さ30～80cm，直立して枝を出す。葉は互生し，長い柄があり，卵形，質はうすく両面に毛がありざらつく。縁には粗い鋸歯がある。9～10月ころ，葉腋（ようえき）に花序を出し，雄花と雌花は混在する。雄花は4枚の花被に対生しておしべがあり，花糸ははじめ内曲するが急に開いて花粉を飛ばす。雌花は花被が4裂しめしべが1本。果実は透明な多汁質の外果皮と堅い内果皮の2層からなり，外果皮の膨圧によって内部は挟みつけられて，はじきとばされる。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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