Gentian (Gentiana scabra var. buergeri; gentian)

Japanese: リンドウ(竜胆) - リンドウ（英語表記）Gentiana scabra var. buergeri; gentian

A perennial plant of the Gentianaceae family. The stem is about 50 cm tall. The opposite leaves are stalkless, lanceolate, 4-8 cm long, with three veins and a rough surface. These three veins resemble thin bamboo leaves, so it is also known as Sasarindo. In autumn, it produces 4-6 cm long, 2 cm wide, tubular, blue-purple flowers with five lobes at the end. The corolla opens when exposed to sunlight. Both the leaves and stems often burn to a rusty color. It is commonly found in the mountains and fields of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, and is also cultivated for decorative purposes. The underground stem is white and string-like, somewhat thick, and is bitter when chewed together with the stem. In traditional Chinese medicine, this is called gentian (Ryu-tan) and is used as a stomachic. Gentian, as it is called in China, is the parent species of this species, and is distributed in the eastern part of the Asian continent, including China and the Korean peninsula, and has thick, rough leaves.

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

Japanese:

リンドウ科の多年草。茎の高さは約 50cm。対生する葉には柄がなく，長さ4～8cmの披針形で3脈を有し，表面はざらつく。この3脈は，細いササの葉に似ているのでササリンドウの別名がある。秋に長さ4～6cm，径 2cmほどの筒状で先が5裂した青紫色の花をつける。日が当ると花冠が開く。葉茎ともに錆色に焼けることが多い。本州，四国，九州の山野に普通にみられ，観賞用として栽培もする。地下茎は白い紐状でやや太く，茎とともに噛むと苦い。これを漢薬で竜胆 (りゅうたん) といい健胃剤に用いる。本来中国でいう竜胆は本種の母種で，中国や朝鮮半島などアジア大陸の東部に分布し，葉は厚くざらつく。

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