Yorugao (night flower) - Yorugao (English spelling) Calonyction aculeatum; moon flower

Japanese: ヨルガオ(夜顔) - ヨルガオ（英語表記）Calonyction aculeatum; moon flower

A perennial plant of the Convolvulaceae family. Native to tropical America and Florida in North America, it was introduced to Japan in the early Meiji period and is cultivated for ornamental purposes. The stem is creeping and can reach a height of 5 to 6 meters. The plant is hairless, sometimes thorny, and when cut, a white milky liquid comes out. The leaves are 10 to 20 cm long, circular, cordate, alternate, and sometimes have three shallow lobes. The flowers are long and tubular, opening suddenly at the tip, and can be up to 10 cm in diameter. They are pure white with green folds. From July to September, 1 to 7 flowers bloom on long stalks and have a strong fragrance. They open in the evening and wilt the next morning. This plant is sometimes called "Yugao," but it is called Yorugao to avoid confusion with Yugao (Evening Glory) of the Cucurbitaceae family, which is the raw material for dried gourd.

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

Japanese:

ヒルガオ科の多年草。熱帯アメリカから北アメリカのフロリダ州にかけての原産で，明治初期に日本に渡来し，観賞用に栽培される。茎はつる性で，高さ5～6mになる。全体は無毛，ときにはとげがあり，切ると白い乳液が出る。葉は長さ 10～20cmの円状心臓形で互生し，3浅裂することがある。花は長筒状で先は急に平開し，径 10cmにもなる。純白色で，緑色のひだがある。7～9月に，長い花柄に1～7花をつけ香りが強い。夕方に開き翌朝しぼむ。この植物を夕顔と呼ぶこともあるが，干瓢 (かんぴょう) の原料となるウリ科のユウガオ (夕顔)と混同を避けるためヨルガオという。

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