Hanahirinoki - Hanahirinoki

A deciduous shrub of the Ericaceae family (APG classification: Ericaceae). It grows to a height of 1-2 meters. The leaves are alternate, oblong, and 3-10 cm long. They are slightly hairy on both sides, have hairy serrated edges, and have prominent veins on the underside. In July and August, they produce racemes at the ends of the branches, and many urn-shaped greenish-white flowers open downward. The inflorescences are hairy and have bracts, the corolla is about 4 mm in diameter, has five shallow lobes at the end, and has 10 stamens. The fruit is an oblate capsule 4-5 mm in diameter, facing upward. It grows in mountainous areas, and is distributed in Honshu, north of the Kinki region, and Hokkaido. The variant Urajirohanahirinoki has fewer hairs on the inflorescences and leaves, and the undersides of the leaves are white. They grow in high mountains and are distributed in the Tohoku, Chubu and Chugoku regions. Both species are poisonous plants. They are named after the fact that the powder from their leaves causes sneezing when it gets into the nose.

[Yoshio Kobayashi May 21, 2021]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ツツジ科（APG分類：ツツジ科）の落葉低木。高さ1～2メートル。葉は互生し、長楕円(ちょうだえん)形で長さ3～10センチメートル。両面にやや堅い毛があって、縁(へり)に毛状の鋸歯(きょし)があり、裏面は葉脈が突出する。7～8月、枝先に総状花序をつくり、壺(つぼ)状の緑白色花を多数下向きに開く。花序は有毛で、包葉があり、花冠は径約4ミリメートル、先は浅く5裂し、雄しべは10本。果実は扁球(へんきゅう)形の蒴果(さくか)で径4～5ミリメートル、上を向く。山地に生え、近畿地方以北の本州、北海道に分布する。変種のウラジロハナヒリノキは花序や葉に毛が少なく、葉の裏面は白色を帯びる。高山に生え、東北、中部、中国地方に分布する。両種とも有毒植物である。名は葉の粉末が鼻に入るとくしゃみが出ることによる。

［小林義雄　2021年5月21日］

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