Silk tree (Albizzia julibrissin) - Silk tree (English spelling)

Japanese: ネムノキ(合歓木) - ネムノキ（英語表記）Albizzia julibrissin; silk tree

A deciduous tall tree of the legume family. It is widely distributed in southeastern Asia and can be found in fields and riverbanks throughout Japan. It can reach a height of 6-10m. The leaves are alternate, bipinnate, and compound, reaching a length of 20-30cm. There are 7-12 pairs of opposite pinnae, and the leaflets of each pinnae are broadly lanceolate, 6-12mm long, and lined up in large numbers on both sides of the rachis. The Japanese name comes from the fact that the leaves close at night and perform a nyctination movement. In June and July, the plant produces a dozen or so flower heads at the ends of the branches, and in the evening, the flowers, which have many long, pale pink stamens, gather together in an umbrella shape and open. The petals are pale pink and fuse to form a small funnel shape. The fruit is a broad linear, flattened pod measuring 10-13cm long. In addition to being planted as a garden tree, the wood is soft and brittle, but is used for roofing boards, barrels, and boxes.

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

Japanese:

マメ科の落葉高木。アジア東南部に広く分布し，日本各地の原野や河岸などにみられる。樹高6～10mに達する。葉は互生して2回羽状複葉で長さ 20～30cmになる。7～12対の羽片が対生し，各羽片の小葉は広披針形，長さ6～12mmで羽軸の両側に多数並ぶ。夜間葉を閉じ，就眠運動をするのでこの和名がある。6～7月に，枝先に十数個の頭状花序をつけ，夕方に淡紅色の長いおしべを多数もった花が傘形に集って開く。花弁は淡紅色で，癒合して小さな漏斗状をなす。果実は広線形で扁平，長さ 10～13cmの莢になる。庭木として植えられるほか，材は柔らかくもろいが屋根板，桶，箱材として用いられる。

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