Centella asiatica (L.) Urban

Japanese: ツボクサ（英語表記）Centella asiatica (L.) Urban

A small perennial plant of the Apiaceae family that grows on roadsides and in open spaces in the mountains and fields (illustration). The leaves are basal, circular, 2-5 cm in diameter, and reminiscent of violets. Long runners extend from the axils of the leaf base to the ground, and new plants are formed at the ends of these. In summer, small umbels with short stalks grow from the base of the leaves, and bear several small pale purple flowers. The flowers have five petals, five stamens, and two styles, and the ovary is inferior, producing a spherical, green fruit that is compressed from both sides, which divides into two fruits when ripe.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

山野の道端や広場に生えるセリ科の小型の多年草（イラスト）。葉は根生し，直径2～5cm，円形でスミレの葉を思わせる。葉の基部の腋（わき）から長い走出枝を地表にのばし，その先に新しい株をつくる。夏には葉の基部から短い柄のある小さい散形花序を出し，淡紫色を帯びた小さい花を数個つける。花には5枚の花弁，5本のおしべ，2本の花柱があり，子房は下位で，左右から扁圧された球形で緑色の果実をつけ，熟すと2分果に分かれる。

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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