Holly mahonia - Holly mahonia

An evergreen shrub of the Berberidaceae family (APG classification: Berberidaceae). It grows to a height of 1-2 meters. The bark is corky and rough, and the wood is yellow. The leaves are clustered at the ends of the branches, alternate, and odd-pinnately compound. There are 9-13 leaflets arranged opposite each other, ovate or elliptical, with pointed tips and rough, thorn-like serrated edges, and a leathery, shiny surface. In March and April, several curved racemes 10-15 cm long appear between the leaves, and small yellow flowers bloom. There are nine sepals and six petals, each of which splits into two at the tip and has two glandular dots at the base. There are six stamens, and the anthers have open petals that release pollen. There is one pistil. The fruits are ellipsoidal berries about 8 mm long, ripen purple-black in July and are covered with white powder. Native to central and southern mainland China and Taiwan, it was introduced to Japan around the Tenna to Jokyo era (1681-1688). It has a rather poor cold resistance, and is planted in gardens in Honshu west of the Kanto region and used in flower arrangements. It is a member of the Nandina family, and its name comes from the fact that its leaves resemble holly. The closely related Chinese holly-leaved nandina, B. bealei Fort. ( M. bealei (Fort.) Carr.), is native to central China, is larger overall than the holly-leaved nandina, is more cold-resistant, and grows well. Also, the narrow-leaved mahonia B. fortunei Lindl. ( M. fortunei (Lindl.) Fedde) is native to China, has long lanceolate leaflets, 5 to 9 of which grow opposite each other, and produces small yellow flowers in racemes in September. Both are propagated by seed, cuttings, and division.

[Yoshio Kobayashi September 17, 2019]

It was once an independent genus called Mahonia. It is closely related to the Berberis genus and was thought to be capable of intergeneric hybridization, but it is now included in the Berberis genus.

[Editorial Department, September 17, 2019]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

メギ科（APG分類：メギ科）の常緑低木。高さ1～2メートル。樹皮はコルク質で粗く、材は黄色である。葉は枝の先に集まって互生し、奇数羽状複葉。小葉は9～13枚が対生し、卵形または楕円(だえん)形で先はとがり、縁(へり)に先が刺(とげ)状の粗い鋸歯(きょし)があり、革質で表面は光沢がある。3～4月、葉の間から長さ10～15センチメートルの湾曲した総状花序を数個出し、黄色の小花を開く。萼片(がくへん)は9枚、花弁は6枚で先は2裂し、基部に2個の腺点(せんてん)がある。雄しべは6本、葯(やく)は弁が開いて花粉を出す。雌しべは1本。果実は楕円状球形の液果で長さ約8ミリメートル、7月ころ紫黒色に熟し、表面は白い粉をかぶる。中国大陸中南部、台湾原産で、日本へは天和(てんな)～貞享(じょうきょう)（1681～1688）ころに渡来した。耐寒性はやや弱く、関東地方以西の本州で庭に植え、いけ花に使う。名は、ナンテンの仲間で、葉がヒイラギに似ることによる。近縁のシナヒイラギナンテンB. bealei Fort.〈M. bealei (Fort.) Carr.〉は中国中部原産で、全体にヒイラギナンテンより大形で耐寒性があり、生育がよい。またホソバヒイラギナンテンB. fortunei Lindl.〈M. fortunei (Lindl.) Fedde〉は中国原産で、小葉は長披針(ちょうひしん)形で5～9枚が対生し、9月ころ総状花序に黄色の小花を開く。ともに繁殖は実生(みしょう)、挿木、株分けによる。

［小林義雄　2019年9月17日］

　かつてはヒイラギナンテン属として独立していた。メギ属と近縁で属間雑種もできるとされていたが、メギ属に含まれるようになった。

［編集部　2019年9月17日］

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