Nojiaoi (Melochia corchorifolia) - Nojiaoi (English spelling)

Japanese: ノジアオイ(野路葵) - ノジアオイ（英語表記）Melochia corchorifolia

An annual plant of the Sterculiaceae family. It is widely distributed in the tropics of Asia, and in Japan it grows along roadsides near the coasts of Shikoku, southern Kyushu, the Ryukyu Islands, and the Ogasawara Islands. The stem is upright and branches well, reaching a height of about 60 cm. The leaves are alternate, ovate, with shallow serrations on the edges, and sometimes shallowly lobed into three. There are needle-like stipules at the base of the petiole. From summer to autumn, clusters of small pale pink flowers appear at the ends of the branches. The calyx is short and bell-shaped, divided into five parts, and the five petals are obovate and about 7 mm long. The five stamens are fused together to form a single stamen.

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

Japanese:

アオギリ科の一年草。アジアの熱帯に広く分布し，日本では四国，九州の南部，南西諸島や小笠原諸島の海岸に近い路傍などに生える。茎は直立し，高さ 60cm内外でよく分枝する。葉は互生し，卵形で縁に浅い鋸歯があり，またときどき3つに浅裂することもある。葉柄の基部には針状の托葉がある。夏から秋にかけて，枝先に淡紅色の小花が集ってつく。萼は短い鐘状で5つに裂け，5枚の花弁は倒卵形で長さ 7mm内外あり，5本あるおしべは癒合して単体おしべをつくっている。

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