むらさきおもと (紫万年青)

Rhoeo discolor

Rhoeo discolor

Rhoeo discolor

メキシコからグアテマラ、西インド諸島が原産です。葉の表面が暗緑色、裏面は紫色で「おもと(万年青)」に似ていますが別属です。花を包むような苞葉のなかから、小さな白い3弁花を咲かせます。 
ツユクサ科ムラサキオモト属の常緑多年草で、学名は Rhoeo discolor(syn. Rhoeo spathacea)。英名は Moses-in-the-boat、Oyster plant。 
The Moses-in-the-boat (Rhoeo discolor) belongs to Commelinaceae (the Spiderwort family). It is an evergreen herb that is native to Mexico, Guatemala and the West Indies. The front side of the leaf is dark green and the back side is purple, which is similar to "Nippon lily" (Rohdea japonica) but is a different genus. The small white three-petaled flowers come in the bracts that wrap around the flowers. 
京都府宇治市「宇治市植物公園」にて、2005年10月22日撮影。 

Shu Suehiro
shu@botanic.jp