Saururus chinensis (Japanese name) - Saururus chinensis

Japanese: ハンゲショウ(半夏生) - ハンゲショウ（英語表記）Saururus chinensis

A perennial plant of the Houttuynia family. It is also called Katashirogusa. It is distributed in the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and China. It grows in low, marshy areas throughout Japan except Hokkaido, and the entire plant has an odor. The stems are upright and can reach a height of 1m. The leaves are stalked and alternate, long-ovate or elliptical, and in early summer, the lower surfaces of the two or three leaves at the end of the stem turn white. Opposite these white leaves, a spike-like inflorescence about 10cm long is produced, bearing numerous small white flowers. The flowers have no perianth, six to seven stamens, one pistil, and one small bract at the base.

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

Japanese:

ドクダミ科の多年草。カタシログサともいう。朝鮮半島，日本，中国に分布する。北海道を除く日本各地の低湿地に生え，全草に臭気がある。茎は直立し，高さ 1mに及ぶ。葉には柄があり互生し，長卵形または楕円形，初夏になると茎の先の2～3枚の葉は下半部の表面が白くなる。この白い葉に向い合って長さ 10cmあまりの穂状の花序を出し，白色の小花を多数つける。花には花被がなく，おしべ6～7本，めしべ1本で基部に1枚の小さな包葉がある。

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