Unagitsukami - Eel Grabber

Japanese: ウナギツカミ - うなぎつかみ

An annual plant of the Polygonaceae family that grows as a weed in fields and rice paddies (illustration). Its name comes from the fact that its stems are so rough like sandpaper that it is easy to grab an eel on them. The stems often branch from the bottom, are obliquely upward or erect, 20-50 cm tall, and are quadrangular with small downward-facing thorns along the edges. The leaves are arrowhead-shaped, 5-10 cm long, with small downward-facing thorns on the mid-vein and petiole on the underside, and hairless on the leaf margins. The leaf sheaths are cut obliquely and hairless. The flowering season is May to July. Ten to 20 flowers grow in clusters in a head at the end of the branches.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

畑や水田の雑草になるタデ科の一年草（イラスト）。ウナギをつかむのも容易なほどに茎がやすり状にざらついているので，この名をもつ。茎はしばしば下部より分枝し，斜上または直立し，高さ20～50cm，四稜形で稜にそって下向きの小型のとげがある。葉はやじり状，長さ5～10cm，裏面の主脈上と葉柄に下向きの小型のとげがあり，葉縁は無毛。葉鞘（ようしよう）は斜めに切れ，無毛。花期は5～7月。花は枝の先に10～20個が頭状に密集する。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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