Ahiyu - Ahiyu

Japanese: ヒユ - ひゆ

A hairless annual plant of the Amaranthaceae family (APG classification: Amaranthaceae). The stem is erect and about 1 meter tall. The leaves are diamond-shaped, oval, green, and about 10 centimeters long. Flowering season is August to October. The terminal inflorescence is spike-like, but the axillary inflorescences are globular. The perianth is inconspicuous and usually has three leaves. The tips of the bracts are hairy. Amaranth is an improved version of this species, and the inflorescence is not terminal. The vegetable Amaranth has soft leaves that are 20 centimeters long and resistant to pests. There are about 60 known species in the world, and more than 10 species grow wild in Japan. Amaranth has prickly bracts at the tips, and is a prehistoric naturalized plant along with Amaranth. Most of the other species were naturalized after the Meiji period, with Amaranth having a pair of prickles in the leaf axils and Amaranth creeping on the ground. The genera Amaranth and Celosia are very similar, but are distinguished by the fact that Amaranth has one ovule and Celosia has two to eight. There are also species in the Amaranth genus that bear the name "celosia." These have five perians and stamens, whereas Amaranth has three. Amaranth has hairy stems and short inflorescences. Amaranth has red inflorescences that hang down for up to one meter. In addition to being used as an ornamental plant, it is also used as a grain and is known as Celeriac. Amaranth has large, branched inflorescences that are usually yellowish.

[Hiroshi Yuasa February 17, 2021]

Cultural history

The amaranth was cultivated in the Andes and the amaranth in Mexico from prehistoric times, and its seeds were eaten as a grain. Amaranth species dating back to 7000-5000 BC have been excavated from the Tehuacan Caves in Mexico. Before the Spanish invasion, it was one of the staple foods in Mexico. It is still cultivated today in the mountainous regions from the Himalayas to western China. Cultivation of amaranth as a vegetable began in ancient Greece, and Theophrastus classified it as a summer vegetable, like cucumber, whose seeds are sown in April (Shokubutsu no Shusen). It has also been eaten in China since ancient times (Qimin Yaoshu), and in Japan it is mentioned as a vegetable (which at the time meant wild vegetables) in the 10th century Wamyousho. It was widely cultivated during the Edo period.

[Hiroshi Yuasa February 17, 2021]

Byam (Hyuna)
©Shogakukan ">

Byam (Hyuna)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

ヒユ科（APG分類：ヒユ科）の一年草。毛はなく、茎は直立し、高さ約1メートル。葉は菱(ひし)状の卵形で緑色、長さ約10センチメートルになる。花期は8～10月。頂生する花序は穂状であるが、腋生(えきせい)の花序は球形。花被(かひ)は目だたず、普通は3枚。包葉の先は毛状。ハゲイトウは本種から改良されたもので、花序は頂生しない。野菜のバイアム（ヒユナ）は葉が長さ20センチメートルになり、柔らかく、病害虫に強い。ヒユ属は世界に約60種知られ、日本にも10種余りが野生する。アオビユは包葉の先が刺(とげ)状で、ヒユと並ぶ史前帰化植物である。他種の多くは明治以降の帰化植物で、ハリビユは葉腋に一対の刺があり、ハイビユは地面をはう。ヒユ属とケイトウ属はよく似ているが、ヒユ属は胚珠(はいしゅ)が1個、ケイトウ属Celosiaは2～8個ある点で区別される。ヒユ属でもケイトウの名がつく種類がある。それらは花被と雄しべが5個で、ヒユ類は3個である。アオゲイトウは茎に毛があり、花序は短い。ヒモゲイトウは花序が紅色で、1メートルも垂下する。観賞するほか穀物として扱われ、センニンコクの名がある。スギモリゲイトウは花序が分枝し、大きく、普通、黄色を帯びる。

［湯浅浩史　2021年2月17日］

文化史

ヒモゲイトウはアンデス、スギモリゲイトウはメキシコで、有史前から栽培され、種子を穀物として食べた。メキシコのテワカン洞窟(どうくつ)から紀元前7000～前5000年のヒユ属が出土している。スペイン侵入前は、メキシコの主食の一つであった。現在もヒマラヤから中国西部の山地で栽培される。野菜としてのヒユは古代のギリシアで栽培が始まり、テオフラストスはイヌビユをキュウリと同じく、4月に種子を播(ま)いて育てる夏野菜に分類した（『植物の調査』）。中国でも古くから食用にされ（『斉民(せいみん)要術』）、日本では10世紀の『和名抄(わみょうしょう)』に野菜（当時は野の菜の意味）として名があげられている。江戸時代は広く栽培された。

［湯浅浩史　2021年2月17日］