Sumire - Violet

Japanese: スミレ - すみれ

A perennial plant of the Violaceae family (APG classification: Violaceae). It has no above-ground stems, a short rhizome, and brown roots. The leaf blade is triangular-lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate, oblong, etc., with a horizontal or slightly wedge-shaped base, 3-8 cm long, 1.1-2.5 cm wide, but during the fruiting stage it becomes large, oblong-triangular, and slightly heart-shaped at the base. The petiole is almost the same length as the leaf blade or longer, and has a clear wing at the top. The flowers bloom in April and May, at the top of a 5-20 cm tall flower stalk, and are dark purple (sometimes white with purple streaks), with a diameter of about 2.5 cm. There are five petals, with white hairs usually on the inside of the lateral petals, and a 5-7 mm long spur at the base of the lower petal. It is widely distributed in the temperate zone of East Asia, from south of the Kuril Islands to Taiwan (highlands), and grows in sunny grasslands, but can also be seen under deciduous forests and pine forests. The variety that grows on the plateau and has thin leaves with a wedge-shaped base is called Hokobasumire var. ikedaeana (W.Becker) F.Maekawa. The variety that grows in the warm coastal regions of Japan and has thick, glossy leaves that are usually oblong triangular is called Atsubasumire var. triangularis (Fr. et Sav.) Mizushima.

In addition to being used as the Japanese name for a specific species, Sumire is often used as a general term for various species of the genus Sumire. The name Sumire was given because the shape of the lower petals resembles an inkpot used by carpenters, and is an abbreviation of Sumiire (sumire). The character "菫" is colloquial, and in China it is often written as 菫澄菜 (sumire cai). In English it is written as violet, but the Sanshikisumire ( V. tricolor L.) species are differentiated by calling the mainly horticultural varieties pansy and the mainly wild species heartsease.

There are about 400 known species of the Viola genus in the world, many of which are found in temperate regions. In addition to annual and biennial herbs, there are also shrub species. Flowers come in deep purple, white, yellow, and red. Generally, the groups are broadly classified based on the shape of the tip of the style, but since ancient times, they have also been classified for convenience based on the presence or absence of an above-ground stem.

There are about 55 known species of the Viola genus in Japan, which are roughly divided into five groups. The most common of these are those with a style that swells like a praying mantis's head and a stigma that points forward. Viola, white violet, cosmo violet, madder violet, miyama violet, hinasumire, shihai violet, eizan violet, violet saishin, and akebonosumire are all members of this group, and they have no aboveground stems, with all the leaves gathered at the base of the plant. Nyoisu violet (tube violet), tsukushi violet, tachi violet, and oobatatachitubo violet are also in this group, but they have aboveground stems, and the stems of the first two species often grow sideways and roots emerge halfway through. Tachi violet has a thin stem, but grows upright among reeds and can grow to about 1 meter in height. These four species have short spurs on the lower petals.

The Usuba Viola, Chishimausa Viola, and Tanimas Viola are considered to be closely related to the above-mentioned group, but the tip of the style is not as swollen and is slightly flat. The spur of the lip petal is short, and the underground stem is long and slender.

The species with rod- or club-shaped styles and upward- or forward-facing stigmas include Viola longis, Viola tachibus, Viola tachibus, Viola isosumire, Viola tadesumire, Viola aoisumire, and Viola fragrans. Most species have well-developed above-ground stems, finely lobed stipule edges, and purple flowers. This species is also well differentiated in Japan. Viola fragrans and Viola serrata have short, hook-shaped styles, and while most other violets have ellipsoid fruits, the fruits of these two species are spherical, very similar to Viola fragrans in Europe.

The ends of the styles of the yellow-flowered violet and the alpine violet have protruding, forked ends. Their flowers are yellow, and the four petals, except for the lower petal, open upwards.

The end of the style swells sideways and the stigma faces forward in species such as Viola japonica, Viola nigricans, and Viola japonica. Many species have nipple hairs on both sides of the swelling at the end of the style, but Viola japonica does not. The flowers are yellow and the lateral petals open sideways.

[Hashimoto Tamotsu July 21, 2020]

Cultural history

In Greek mythology, the sweet violet Viola odorata L. in Europe is said to have been given to Zeus as food when he transformed his lover Io into a white cow after his wife Hera nearly found him. In ancient Greece, the sweet violet was called "dark Ion". The first recorded violet was sung about by Homer in his Hymn to Demeter (8th century BC), who praised it for its beauty. In his Hymn to Athens (6th century BC), Pindar praised Athens as the city crowned with Ion. The ancient Greeks used the sweet violet in flower crowns and laid the flowers, along with roses, in their rooms on their wedding days. In his Medicaments (1st century), Dioscorides used the leaves to treat heartburn and rectal prolapse, and water in which the flowers were steeped to treat epilepsy and spleen problems. In Rome, it was also used for medicinal purposes, and Pliny listed 17 medicinal properties in his Natural History (1st century). In Rome, violet wine was made by steeping sweet violet flowers in wine.

In Japan, violets have been found in four poems in the Man'yoshu (Collection of Myoyoshu). Yamabe no Akahito wrote, "I came to the fields in spring to pick violets, but I slept there all night, longing for the fields." (Volume 8, 1424). Otomo no Ikenushi also wrote a song about picking violets (Volume 17, 3973). Shofu Yamamoto, a Meiji period herbalist, explained that the origin of the word sumire (violet) changed from the word tsumire (fish cake) to sumire (fish cake), because it was picked (Man'yoshu: Ancient and Modern Animals and Plants, Correct Names). Makino Tomitaro proposed the theory that the shape of the flower resembles that of a carpenter's tool called an ink pot, which has been widely accepted, but Nakamura Hiroshi thought that this would not be a color similar to that of a violet, and suggested that the flower's shape was derived from the resemblance of the flag made from corner-drawn paper called "sumire." The cultivation of violets was mentioned in the Edo period works "Kadan Komoku" (1681) and "Kadan Chikinsho" (1695), but little effort was made to improve varieties.

In Europe, cultivation of sweet violets began in France around the 6th century. As the violet was Napoleon's favorite flower, it became the symbol of the Napoleonic Party. The Ainu people dried the large-leaved tube violet V. langsdorfii Fisch. subsp. sachalinensis W.Becker in the shade and brewed it as a tea to treat gynecological diseases and postpartum illnesses. In Taiwan, the Yanones violet V. betonicifolia Sm. var. betonicifolia ( V. caespitosa D.Don) is grown as a vegetable, and in Japan, the violet rhizome V. vaginata Maxim. is used in wild vegetable dishes.

[Hiroshi Yuasa July 21, 2020]

Violet
From April to May, it produces deep purple flowers at the top of the flower stalk. It can be found in sunny places such as banks and fields. ©Shogakukan Photo by Hideyuki Asakura ">

Violet

Yellow stalk
The leaves are oblate-cordate shaped, with noticeable short hairs on the edges. The flowering season is from May to July. The flowers are yellow, and all four petals, except for the lower petal, open upward. The lower petal is larger than the others and has purple stripes. ©Shogakukan Photo by Fujio Aoyama ">

Yellow stalk

White violet
The leaves are long elliptical-lanceolate and grow from the base. White flowers bloom in May and June. The petals have purple stripes. ©Shogakukan Photo by Masatoshi Hirose ">

White violet

Viola tachibata
The leaves are heart-shaped with sawtoothed edges. Pale purple flowers measuring about 2.5 cm in diameter bloom in April and May. There are many variations in morphology and flower color. ©Shogakukan Photo by Masatoshi Hirose ">

Viola tachibata

Nyosumire
The flower stalk grows from the upper axil of the stem, and white or pale purple flowers bloom from April to June. Also known as Tsubosumire ©Shogakukan ">

Nyosviolet

Major species of the genus Viola (1) [Collected specimens]
©Masayoshi Umebayashi ">

Major species of the genus Viola (1) [Collected specimens]

Major species of the genus Viola (2) [Collected specimens]
©Masayoshi Umebayashi ">

Major species of the genus Viola (2) [Collected specimens]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

スミレ科（APG分類：スミレ科）の多年草。地上茎はなく、根茎は短く、茶褐色の根がある。葉身は三角状披針(ひしん)形、長楕円(ちょうだえん)状披針形、長楕円形などで、基部は水平や、ややくさび形、長さ3～8センチメートル、幅1.1～2.5センチメートルであるが、果実期には大きくなり、長三角状、基部はやや心臓形になる。葉柄は葉身とほぼ同長または長くなり、上部には明瞭(めいりょう)な翼がある。花は4～5月、高さ5～20センチメートルの花柄の上部につき、濃紫色（まれに白色で、紫色の筋が入るものもある）で花径は約2.5センチメートル。花弁は5枚で、側弁の内側に普通は白いひげ毛があり、下弁の基部は長さ5～7ミリメートルの距(きょ)がある。南千島以南から台湾（高地）を含む東アジア温帯に広く分布し、日当りのよい草地などに生えるが、落葉樹林や松林の下でもみられる。高原に生え、葉身が細く、基部がくさび形になる変種をホコバスミレvar. ikedaeana （W.Becker）F.Maekawaという。また日本暖地の海岸地方に分布し、葉身が普通は長三角形で厚く光沢のある変種をアツバスミレvar. triangularis (Fr. et Sav.) Mizushimaという。

　スミレを特定の種の和名として用いるほか、スミレ属各種を総称することも多い。スミレの名は、下弁の形が、大工が使用する墨壺(すみつぼ)に似ているからつけられたもので、墨入れの略である。「菫」の字は俗用で、中国では菫菜と書かれることが多い。英語ではviolet（バイオレット）と書くが、サンシキスミレ（V. tricolor L.ビオラ・トリコロル）系のものは、主として園芸品種の系統をpansy（パンジー）、また主として野生種のものをheartsease（ハートシーズ）とよんで区別する。

　スミレ属は世界に約400種が知られ、温帯地方に種類が多い。一～二年草、多年草のほか低木の種もある。花色は濃紫色のほか、白、黄、赤色もある。一般に花柱の先端部の形を重視してグループが大別されるが、古くから便宜的に地上茎の有無により大別することもある。

　日本のスミレ属は約55種が知られており、五つのグループに大別される。そのなかでは、花柱の先がカマキリの頭状に膨らみ、柱頭が前向きにとがっている種がもっとも多い。スミレ、シロスミレ、コスミレ、アカネスミレ、ミヤマスミレ、ヒナスミレ、シハイスミレ、エイザンスミレ、スミレサイシン、アケボノスミレなどはこの仲間で、地上茎はなく、葉はすべて株元に集まっている。ニョイスミレ（ツボスミレ）、ツクシスミレ、タチスミレ、オオバタチツボスミレもこの仲間であるが、地上茎があり、前の2種は茎がしばしば横にはい、途中から根が出る。タチスミレの茎は細いが、アシなどの間に生えて直立し、高さ1メートルほどになることもある。これら4種は下弁の距が短い。

　ウスバスミレ、チシマウスバスミレ、タニマスミレは前述のグループに近縁と考えられるが、花柱の先がそれほど膨らまず、先端がやや平たい。唇弁の距は短く、地下茎が細長い。

　花柱が棒状か棍棒(こんぼう)状で、柱頭が上向きか前向きになる仲間は、ナガハシスミレ、オオタチツボスミレ、タチツボスミレ、イソスミレ、タデスミレ、アオイスミレなどで、ほとんどの種は地上茎がよく発達し、托葉(たくよう)の縁(へり)は細裂し、花は紫色系である。この仲間も日本でよく分化している。アオイスミレとエゾノアオイスミレ（エゾアオイスミレ）は花柱の先が鉤(かぎ)形に短く屈曲し、他のスミレ類はたいてい果実が楕円体であるのに、この2種の果実は球形で、ヨーロッパのニオイスミレとよく似ている。

　花柱の先が両側に二又状に出っ張るのはキバナノコマノツメとタカネスミレで、花が黄色で、下弁を除く他の4弁は上向きに開く。

　花柱の先が横に膨らみ、柱頭が前向きになるのはキスミレ、オオバキスミレ、ジンヨウキスミレなどで、多くの種類では花柱の先の膨らみの両側に乳頭毛があるが、ジンヨウキスミレにはこの毛がない。花は黄色で、側弁は横に開く。

［橋本　保　2020年7月21］

文化史

ヨーロッパのニオイスミレViola odorata L.は、ギリシア神話では、ゼウスが妻のヘラにみつかりそうになった愛人のイオを白い牝牛(めうし)に姿を変えさせた際、食べ物として与えたと伝えられる。ニオイスミレは古代のギリシアでは「濃い色のイオンIon」とよばれた。記録に残る最初のスミレは、ホメロスが『デメテール賛歌』（前8世紀）で、美しいと歌ったニオイスミレ。ピンダロスは『アテネ賛歌』（前6世紀）で、アテネをイオンの花冠をつけた市とたたえた。古代のギリシア人はニオイスミレを花冠に使い、婚礼の日、部屋にバラとともにその花を敷いたという。ディオスコリデスは『薬物誌』（1世紀）で、葉を胸やけ、脱肛(だっこう)に、花を浸(つ)けた水をてんかんや脾臓(ひぞう)の薬に使った。ローマでも薬用とし、プリニウスは『博物誌』（1世紀）で17の薬効をあげる。ローマではニオイスミレの花をぶどう酒に浸けたバイオレットワインがつくられた。

　日本では『万葉集』に4首歌われているのが古い。山部赤人(やまべのあかひと)は「春の野にすみれ摘みにと来し我ぞ野をなつかしみ一夜寝にける」と詠んだ（8巻1424）。大伴池主(おおとものいけぬし)もスミレ摘みを歌った（17巻3973）。スミレの語源は摘まれることから、つみれ、さらにスミレと変化したと、明治の本草(ほんぞう)学者山本章夫(しょうふ)は説いた（『万葉古今動植物正名(せいめい)』）。牧野富太郎(とみたろう)は、大工道具の墨入(すみい)れ（墨壺(すみつぼ)）と花の形が似るという説を出し、広く受け入れられているが、中村浩(ひろし)は、それでは色がスミレに似つかないとし、隅入(すみい)れとよばれた隅取紙でつくった旗印に花の形が相似することから由来したとみた。スミレの栽培は江戸時代の『花壇綱目』（1681）や『花壇地錦抄(かだんちきんしょう)』（1695）で取り上げられているが、品種改良はほとんどされなかった。

　ヨーロッパではフランスで6世紀ごろからニオイスミレの栽培が始まった。スミレはナポレオンのお気に入りの花として、ナポレオン党のシンボルにされた。アイヌの人々はオオバタチツボスミレV. langsdorfii Fisch. subsp. sachalinensis W.Beckerを陰干しして、煎(せん)じて飲み、婦人病や産後の手当てに使った。台湾ではタイワンヤノネスミレV. betonicifolia Sm. var. betonicifolia（V. caespitosa D.Don）を野菜にし、日本でもスミレサイシンV. vaginata Maxim.を山菜料理に使う。

［湯浅浩史　2020年7月21］