Momo (Peach) - Prunus persica; peach

Japanese: モモ(桃) - モモ（英語表記）Prunus persica; peach

A deciduous shrub or small tree of the Rosaceae family. Native to China, it has been widely cultivated throughout Japan for ornamental and fruit purposes. The trunk grows to about 3m in height, and the leaves are alternate, long lanceolate, about 10cm long, and serrated. In March and April, short-stalked flowers appear singly in the leaf axils at the same time as the leaves or slightly before them. The calyx is covered with soft hairs, and the five petals are pale pink and open horizontally. The fruit ripens in early summer and is juicy and delicious. There are many varieties, including water-nectar peach, white peach, and Tianjin peach, but in taxonomic terms, all peach varieties with hairs are included in the peach category, and those without hairs are called nectarines, P. persica var. nectarina . In addition to the edible fruit, the seeds are used in traditional Chinese medicine as a cough suppressant, the leaves are used as peach leaf tea to treat heat rash, and the dried white flowers are used as a laxative. The fresh flowers are known as the flower for the Girls' Festival.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

バラ科の落葉低木または小高木。中国原産で，古くから日本各地に観賞用や果樹として広く栽培されている。幹は高さ 3mぐらいになり，葉は互生し長さ 10cmあまりの長披針形で縁に鋸歯がある。3～4月に，葉と同時かやや先立って短柄のある花を葉腋に単生する。萼には軟毛があり，5枚の花弁は淡紅色で水平に開く。果実は初夏に熟し多汁で美味。水蜜桃，白桃，天津桃など品種が多いが，分類学上は果実に毛があるものをすべてモモに含み，毛のないものはネクタリン P. persica var. nectarinaという。果実を食用とするほか，種子は漢方で咳止め，葉は桃葉湯としてあせもの薬とし，白い花を干したものは下剤として用いられる。生花は桃の節句の花として知られる。

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