Honeysuckle - Honeysuckle

A deciduous shrub in the family Trifoliumrum (APG classification: Trifoliumrum). It is also called Komenoki (rice tree) because its young leaves are edible. The leaves are long-stalked, opposite, and compound with three leaflets. The name comes from the fact that it has three leaflets. The leaflets are egg-shaped, broadly lanceolate, pointed at the tip, and have fine serrations on the edges. In May and June, it produces panicles at the ends of the branches, and blooms with white flowers. There are five sepals and petals, and they do not open flat. There are five stamens. The fruit is a capsule with two chambers. The skin is thin and semicircular, and the upper part is divided into arrow feathers. It commonly grows in mountains and fields, and is distributed from Hokkaido to Kyushu, as well as the Korean peninsula and China. The wood is hard and easily split, so it is used to make chopsticks and skewers.

[Kyoshio Furusawa September 17, 2020]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ミツバウツギ科（APG分類：ミツバウツギ科）の落葉低木。若葉を食用とすることから、コメノキともいう。葉は長い柄があって対生し、3枚の小葉からなる複葉。名は3小葉からなることによる。小葉は卵状広披針(ひしん)形で先はとがり、縁(へり)に細かい鋸歯(きょし)がある。5～6月、枝先に円錐(えんすい)花序をつくり、白色花を開く。萼片(がくへん)、花弁はともに5枚で、平開しない。雄しべは5本。果実は蒴果(さくか)で2室。果皮は薄く、半円形で、上部は矢羽状に分かれる。山野に普通に生え、北海道から九州、および朝鮮半島、中国に分布する。材は堅く、割れやすいので、箸(はし)や串(くし)をつくる。

［古澤潔夫　2020年9月17日］

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