Tetracentron sinense Oliv.

Japanese: スイセイジュ（英語表記）Tetracentron sinense Oliv.

A plant of the family Araceae, famous as a primitive nonvascular angiosperm, with only one genus and one species, found from eastern Nepal to central and southwestern China. It is a deciduous tree that reaches a height of 35m. It is very similar to katsura in that it grows in clumps of several trunks rather than a single main trunk, and the shape of its leaves is similar to that of katsura, but the leaves are alternate. The flowers are tetrameric, with four perianths, four stamens, and four carpels arranged in whorls. They are borne in catkins. Like the Japanese quince, which is generally considered to be closely related, the wood has no vessels. It is grown as a roadside tree in China, and its wood is used for furniture.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

原始的な無道管被子植物として有名な，1属1種のスイセイジュ科の植物で，ネパール東部から中国中･南西部にかけて分布する。　高さ35mに達する落葉高木。1本の主幹だけが生長するのではなく何本かが株立ちする様子や葉の形はカツラにそっくりだが，葉は互生する。花は4数性で花被，おしべ，心皮各4個が輪生する。それらが尾状花序につく。一般に近縁と考えられているヤマグルマ同様に，材に道管がない。中国では街路樹とされ，また材は家具に使われる。

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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