Metakarakou - Metakarakou

A perennial plant of the Asteraceae family. The stem is somewhat stalk-like, about 1 meter tall, and bears 2 to 3 stem leaves. The basal leaves have long stalks, are spear-shaped with a pointed tip and a heart-shaped base with regular teeth along the edge. From July to September, a long raceme is produced at the top of the stem, and many flower heads are produced. The flower heads have 1 to 3 ray flowers, which distinguishes them from the closely related Otakarako. It grows in wet grasslands on plateaus and mountains, and is distributed from Honshu to Kyushu, as well as central and southern mainland China and Taiwan. The name comes from the fact that although it resembles Otakarako, both the leaves and flower heads have a gentler feel.

[Hiroyuki Koyama]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

キク科の多年草。茎はやや花茎状で高さ約1メートル、茎葉を2、3枚つける。根出葉は長い柄があり、矛形で先はとがり、基部は心形、縁(へり)にそろった歯牙(しが)がある。7～9月、茎頂に長い総状花序をつくり、頭花を多数つける。頭花には舌状花が1～3個あり、近縁のオタカラコウと区別される。高原や山地の湿草地に生え、本州から九州、および中国大陸中南部、台湾に分布する。名は、オタカラコウに似るが、葉、頭花がともに優しい感じがあることによる。

［小山博滋］

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