Rashomon vine (Meehania urticifolia)

Japanese: ラショウモンカズラ(羅生門蔓) - ラショウモンカズラ（英語表記）Meehania urticifolia

A perennial plant of the Lamiaceae family. It is found in areas south of Honshu and in East Asia, growing in the shade of trees in mountainous areas. The stems are long and square, creeping above ground, and send out roots from the nodes. The flower stalks are erect, 15-30 cm tall, and covered with long white hairs. The leaves grow in pairs, with the lower ones having long stalks and being large, while the stalks get shorter and clasp the stem as they grow upwards. The lower leaves are 3-5 cm long, heart-shaped, oval, sharply pointed at the tip, and have coarse sawtooth edges. In April and May, the plant produces large, purple, lip-shaped flowers lined up on one side. The central lobe of the lower lip is particularly large, with long white hairs and dark purple spots on the inside.

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

Japanese:

シソ科の多年草。本州以南および東アジアに分布し，山地の木陰に生える。茎は四角形で長く地上をはい，節から根を出す。花茎は直立し高さ 15～30cmあって，全体に白色の長毛をつける。葉は対生し，下部のものは長い柄があって大きく，上方にいくに従って柄は短く茎を抱くようになる。下部の葉は長さ3～5cmの心状卵円形で先は鋭くとがり，縁にあらい鋸歯がある。4～5月に，紫色で大型の唇形花を一方の側に並べてつける。下唇の中央裂片は特に大きく，内側に長い白毛と濃紫色の斑点が目立つ。

出典　ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典について　情報

<<: La Chaux‐de‐Fonds (English spelling)

>>: Rajomon Gate