Isodon japonicus (English spelling) - Isodon japonicus

Japanese: ヒキオコシ(引起) - ヒキオコシ（英語表記）Isodon japonicus

A perennial herb of the Lamiaceae family, distributed in the temperate zone of eastern Asia. It grows in somewhat dry areas of mountains and fields throughout Japan, from southern Hokkaido southward. The stems are square-prism shaped, 50-100 cm long, and densely covered with fine downward-pointing hairs. The leaves are opposite, broadly ovate, 10-15 cm long, and have fine soft hairs on the veins. They flower from September to October, with pale purple florets scattered sparsely on large panicles. The flowers are labiate, several mm long, with a shallow upper lip that is divided into four lobes and has purple spots. Two of the four stamens are long. The whole plant has a strong bitter taste, and is also called enmeisou (prolonging life herb), and the roots are used as a stomachic.

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

Japanese:

シソ科の多年草で，アジア東部の温帯に分布する。北海道南部より南の日本各地の山野のやや乾いたところに生える。茎は四角柱状で 50～100cmとなり，下向きの細毛が密生する。葉は対生し，長さ 10～15cmの広卵形で脈上に細かい軟毛がある。花期は9～10月で，大きい円錐花序にまばらに淡紫色の小花をつける。花は長さ数 mmの唇形花で上唇は浅く4裂して紫点がある。4本のおしべのうち2本は長い。全草に強い苦みがあり，エンメイソウ (延命草) ともいわれ，根は健胃剤とする。

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