Mucuna sempervirens Hemsl.

Japanese: トビカズラ(飛蔓) - トビカズラ（英語表記）Mucuna sempervirens Hemsl.

A creeping woody legume (illustration) that is a national special natural monument and the only tree in Japan that grows in Sagara, Kikuka Town, Kumamoto Prefecture. It is also called Airatobikazura. It is a large evergreen woody plant. The leaves are alternate and have three leaflets. The leaflets are leathery, egg-shaped, 7-15 cm long and 4-8 cm wide. The flowers that bloom in early summer are clustered in spikes, dark purple, and 7-8.5 cm long. The fruit is a slender legume 40-60 cm long and about 4 cm wide, with a woody skin covered with reddish-brown hairs. It contains 7-10 seeds.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

国の特別天然記念物で，日本では熊本県菊鹿町相良にただ1本だけ生育しているマメ科のつる性木本（イラスト）。アイラトビカズラともいう。大型の常緑木本。葉は互生し，3小葉をつける。小葉は革質，卵状楕円形で長さ7～15cm，幅4～8cm。初夏に咲く花は穂状に集まってつき，暗紫色で長さ7～8.5cm。果実は細長く，長さ40～60cm，幅約4cmの豆果，果皮は木質で，一面に赤褐色の毛が生えている。7～10個の種子を入れる。

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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