Deutzias - Deutzias

Japanese: ウツギ - うつぎ

A deciduous shrub of the Saxifragaceae family (APG classification: Hydrangeaceae). Also known as Unohana. The trunk is about 2 meters tall and branches well. The trunk is hollow, which is why it is called Utsugi. The leaves are opposite and stalked. The leaf blade is ovate or broadly lanceolate, with blunt sawtooth edges. Both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves are rough and covered with many small stellate hairs. In May and June, numerous white flowers are borne in racemes or cymes at the ends of the branches. The five-petaled corolla opens in a trumpet shape, is about 1 cm in diameter, and the calyx tube and sepals are densely covered with stellate hairs. There are 10 stamens, slightly shorter than the petals, with wings on both sides of the filaments and ending in a tooth shape at the top. There are 3 to 4 styles, which remain intact even after the capsule is formed. The ovary is inferior. The capsule is spherical and 4-5 mm in diameter. It is commonly found in sunny areas of the mountains and fields, and is widely distributed in Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. It is used as an ornamental garden tree and hedge, and its wood is used to make wooden pegs. Another species, D. gracilis Sieb. et Zucc., which grows on rocks in mountain valleys from the Kanto region westward, blooms earlier than Deutzia gracilis, has slightly thinner leaves with bright green surfaces. Another species, D. uniflora Shirai, which rarely grows on rocks in mountain areas in the western Kanto region and eastern Chubu region, is also distributed in Korea, and produces a small number of white flowers that hang downward.

[Michio Wakabayashi March 22, 2021]

Cultural history

According to folklorist Dr. Orikuchi Shinobu, in the olden days, the state of blooming of Deutzias flowers was used to predict the year's prosperity, and years with abundant flowers were believed to bring a good harvest. This is probably because Deutzias bloom at the turn of the season from spring to early summer, and because they are white and eye-catching, they were an important flower for telling the seasons at a time when calendars were not widely used. There are 24 poems about Deutzias in the "Manyoshu" under the heading "unohana," and it is known that the Man'yoshu people were also very interested in them. The name Deutzias does not appear in the "Manyoshu," but it does appear in the "Wamyosho."

[Hiroshi Yuasa March 22, 2021]

Deutzia
A deciduous shrub often used as a garden tree or hedge. From May to June, it produces numerous white flowers at the ends of the branches. The five-petaled corolla opens in a trumpet shape. Also known as Unohana ©Seishohmaru ">

Deutzia

Deutzia fruit
It is a spherical capsule with the style remaining intact ©Seishohmaru ">

Deutzia fruit

Deutzias flower (morphology)
Deutzia ©Shogakukan ">

Deutzias flower (morphology)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

ユキノシタ科（APG分類：アジサイ科）の落葉低木。別名ウノハナ。幹は高さ約2メートルで、よく枝分れする。幹が中空で、そのために空木(うつぎ)とよばれる。葉は対生し、有柄。葉身は卵形または広披針(こうひしん)形で、縁(へり)に鈍い鋸歯(きょし)がある。葉の表裏ともに小さな星状毛が多く、ざらつく。5～6月、枝の先に多数の白い花を総状または集散花序につける。5枚の花弁からなる花冠はらっぱ状に開き、径約1センチメートル、萼筒(がくとう)と萼裂片には星状毛が密生する。雄しべは10本、花弁よりやや短く、花糸の両側に翼があって、上方で歯状に終わる。花柱は3～4本あり、蒴果(さくか)になってもそのまま残る。子房は下位。蒴果は球形で径4～5ミリメートル。山野の日当りのよい所に普通にみられ、北海道、本州、四国、九州に広く分布する。観賞用として庭木や生け垣に使われるほか、材で木釘(くぎ)をつくる。関東地方以西の山地の谷間の岩上などに生える別種ヒメウツギD. gracilis Sieb. et Zucc.は、ウツギより花期が早く、葉はやや薄く、表面は鮮緑色である。関東地方西部、中部地方東部の山地岩上にまれに生える別種ウメウツギD. uniflora Shiraiは、朝鮮にも分布し、少数の白い花を下向きにつける。

［若林三千男　2021年3月22日］

文化史

民俗学者の折口信夫(おりくちしのぶ)博士によると、古くはウツギの花の咲きぐあいでその年の豊凶を占ったといい、多い年は豊作と考えられた。これは、ウツギの花が春から初夏への季節の変わり目に咲き、また白く目だつことから、暦の普及していなかったころに季節を知る重要な花であったことによろう。『万葉集』にはウノハナで24首詠まれ、万葉人も関心が高かったことが知られる。ウツギの名は『万葉集』にはないが、『和名抄(わみょうしょう)』に出る。

［湯浅浩史　2021年3月22日］

ウツギ

ウツギの果実

ウツギの花〔形態〕

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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