Dankobai - Dankobai

A deciduous tree of the Lauraceae family (APG classification: Lauraceae). It grows to about 6 meters in height, with a gray-brown trunk and green branches. The leaves are somewhat thick, broadly ovate, usually divided into three shallow lobes, and are 5 to 15 centimeters long. The flowers bloom in February and March in umbels, are yellowish-white, and bloom earlier than the leaves. Dioecious. The fruit is a spherical berry about 7 mm in diameter, ripening from red to black-purple. It is found in the mountains, distributed from the Kanto region to Honshu westward, Kyushu, the Korean Peninsula, and China. Its name comes from the fact that its flowers resemble plum blossoms and its wood has a scent similar to sandalwood. It is also called ukonbana (turmeric flower) because its flowers are yellow.

[Yuichi Kadota, August 21, 2018]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

クスノキ科（APG分類：クスノキ科）の落葉小高木。高さ6メートルほどになり、幹は灰褐色、枝は緑色。葉はやや厚く、広卵形で、普通、3浅裂し、長さ5～15センチメートル。花は2～3月、散形花序につき、黄白色、葉より早く開く。雌雄異株。果実は球形の液果で径約7ミリメートル、赤色から黒紫色に熟す。関東地方以西の本州から九州および朝鮮半島、中国に分布し、山地に生える。花がウメに似ており、材がビャクダン（檀香）のように香りがあるためこの名がある。花が黄色なのでウコンバナ（欝金花）ともいう。

［門田裕一　2018年8月21日］

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