Shikunshi (envoy) - Shikunshi (English spelling) Quisqualis indica var. villosa

Japanese: シクンシ(使君子) - シクンシ（英語表記）Quisqualis indica var. villosa

An evergreen, climbing shrub of the Combretaceae family. Native to Southeast Asia, it was introduced to Japan during the Edo period and has been cultivated in warm regions and greenhouses. In summer, it produces downward-facing, gamopetalous flowers at the end of the stem that start out white and then turn red or brown. The fruit is an ellipsoid with five ridges, about 3 cm long, and contains one large seed. It has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to exterminate roundworms.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

シクンシ科の常緑つる性の低木。東南アジア原産で，江戸時代に日本へ伝えられ，暖地や温室で栽培されたことがある。夏に茎の先端に，初め白色でのちに紅色から褐色に変色する合弁の花を下向きにつける。果実は5本の稜のある楕円体で長さ 3cmほどになり，中に1個の大きな種子がある。古くから漢方で回虫駆除に用いた。

出典　ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典について　情報

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