Pepper tree

Japanese: シキミモドキ（英語表記）pepper tree

A plant of the family Illicaceae, found in the tropical highlands of Southeast Asia, it is often considered to be the most primitive angiosperm. It is an evergreen woody plant that grows to a height of 1-5m. The buds are covered by a calyptra, a modified cap-shaped calyx. The carpel is a single leaf folded inward along the midrib, and it is said to represent the most primitive state of the pistil. Unlike the degeneria of the Magnoliales, the stamens are relatively thin. Magnoliales plants generally contain essential oils in the plant body, which give off a scent when the wood is scratched or the leaves are rubbed, and the flowers have a strong fragrance.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

最も原始的な被子植物とされることの多い東南アジア熱帯高地のモクレン目シキミモドキ科の植物。高さ1～5mの常緑の木本植物。つぼみはカリプトラという帽子状に変形した萼におおわれている。心皮は1枚の葉が中肋を折り目に内側に畳まれた状態を示し，めしべの最も原始的な状態を示すとの説がある。モクレン目のデゲネリアとは違っておしべは比較的細い。　モクレン目は一般に植物体に精油を含み，材を傷つけたり葉をもむと香ったり，花に強い芳香がある。

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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