Sowberry - Nogeshi

An annual or biennial plant of the Asteraceae family. It is also called Harunonogeshi (spring poppy). It is powdery white all over and exudes a milky liquid when cut. The name comes from the fact that these features, along with the leaf shape, make it resemble a poppy. The stem is soft and hollow, 0.3 to 1 meter tall. The leaves are pinnately incised and have sharp sawtooth edges, but are not painful to the touch. The base of the stem and leaves embraces the stem in an arrowhead shape. From spring to autumn, it produces yellow flower heads about 2 cm in diameter consisting of ray flowers only. The achene has vertical and horizontal stripes, and the pappus is white and soft. It commonly grows on roadsides and in vacant lots, and is widely distributed throughout Japan and the tropical and temperate zones of Eurasia. It is used as animal feed, and the young leaves can be eaten when boiled and soaked.

[Tatsuyoshi Morita]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

キク科の一年草または越年草。ハルノノゲシ（春野芥子）ともいう。全体に粉白を帯び、切ると乳液が出る。名は、これらの点が葉形とともにケシに似ることによる。茎は柔らかく中空で、高さ0.3～1メートル。葉は羽状に切れ込み、縁(へり)に鋭い鋸歯(きょし)があるが、触っても痛くはない。茎葉の基部は矢じり形に茎を抱く。春から秋、舌状花のみからなる黄色で径約2センチメートルの頭花をつける。痩果(そうか)は縦と横の条があり、冠毛は白色で柔らかい。道端や空き地にごく普通に生え、日本全土、およびユーラシア大陸の熱帯から温帯に広く分布する。飼料となり、若菜はゆでてさらすと食用となる。

［森田龍義］

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