Ligustrum japonicum (Ligustrum japonicum)

Japanese: ネズミモチ(鼠黐) - ネズミモチ（英語表記）Ligustrum japonicum

An evergreen shrub of the Oleaceae family, also known as Tamatsubaki. It grows in warm areas from central Honshu southward, and is often planted in gardens and hedges. The trunk is upright, with gray bark and abundant branching. The leaves are opposite, elliptical, 5-8 cm long, thick, and glossy on the upper surface. In summer, panicles appear at the tips of new branches, and many small white flowers grow densely. The corolla is a tube several mm long with four lobes at the tip. Inside the flower tube are two short stamens and one pistil. The fruit is an oblong drupe that ripens to a purple-black color. It is also called Nezumi-no-fun (rat droppings) because of its resemblance to mouse droppings. This species is resistant to pollution and grows vigorously in urban areas. Recently, a closely related species from China, Ligustrum lucidum , has been planted on highways and other areas. The Japanese name was given to it because the fruit and tree resemble those of the Ilex holly family.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

モクセイ科の常緑低木で，タマツバキともいう。本州中部以南の暖地に生え，人家の庭や生垣によく植えられている。幹は直立し，樹皮は灰色でよく分枝する。葉は対生し，長さ5～8cmの楕円形で質は厚く上面に光沢がある。夏に，新しい枝の先端に円錐花序を出して，白色の小花を多数密につける。花冠は長さ数 mmの筒状で先端が4裂する。花筒内に2本の短いおしべと1本のめしべがある。果実は長楕円形の核果で，紫黒色に熟する。形がネズミの糞に似ているところから，ネズミノフンともいう。本種は公害に強く，都市部でも盛んに生長する。最近，高速道路などに植えられているのは，中国産の近縁種トウネズミモチ L. lucidumが多い。和名は実や木がモチノキの仲間に似ているために名づけられたもの。

出典　ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典について　情報

<<: Nessler's reagent

>>: The Tale of the Mouse - The Tale of the Mouse