Shiso (Perilla frutescens var. crispa)

Japanese: シソ(紫蘇) - シソ（英語表記）Perilla frutescens var. crispa

It is an annual plant of the Lamiaceae family, native to China. It has been cultivated for food since ancient times. The upright stem is about 50 cm tall and has many branches with a square shape. The reddish purple leaves are egg-shaped, pointed, sawtoothed, and opposite. The leaves contain thianidine glycosides and are used to color pickled plums. In September, the racemes grow upright in the axils at the ends of the branches, and small purple-red flowers bloom. There are many cultivated varieties, and those with green leaves only on the surface are called katamenjiso, while those with bright green leaves on both sides and soft leaves are called aojiso. Aojiso has white flowers and a particularly strong fragrance, so it is used as a condiment. There is also chirimenjiso, which has wrinkled leaves all over. In terms of botanical taxonomy, all of these shiso species are considered to be varieties of the same species, P. frutescens var. japonica , which grows wild in the mountains of Japan and East Asia.

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

Japanese:

シソ科の一年草で，中国原産。昔から食用に栽培されている。高さ約 50cmの直立する茎は四角で多数分枝する。紅紫色の葉は卵形でとがり，鋸歯があって，対生する。葉にはチアニジン配糖体が含まれ，梅干の色づけに用いる。9月頃，枝先の葉腋に総状花序を直立し，細かな紫紅色の花を開く。栽培品種が多く葉の表面だけが緑色がかったものをカタメンジソと呼び，両面とも鮮かな緑色で軟らかな葉のものをアオジソと呼ぶ。アオジソは花が白く，特に芳香が強いので，薬味などに用いる。葉全体に皺の多いチリメンジソなどもある。植物分類学的にはこれらのシソはすべて，日本や東アジアの山地に野生するエゴマ P. frutescens var. japonicaの同一種内の変種関係とみなされている。

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