|
"Korohime-kan-aoi" (Heterotropa yoshikawae) belongs to Aristolochiaceae (the Birthwort family). It is an evergreen perennial herb that is distributed from the Joetsu region of Niigata Prefecture to the eastern part of Toyama Prefecture in Honshu, Japan. It grows under deciduous broad-leaved forests in low mountains and is 5 to 10 cm tall. The leaves are ovate or ovate-triangular, heart-shaped at the base, and the leaf surface is bright green, usually free of cloud crest mottling. It produces dark brown or greenish brown flowers from March to April. The flowers are petal-less, and the sepal lobes are petal-like. The flowers are similar to those of "Koshino-kan-aoi", but the calyx tube is long ovate, and the calyx tube mouth is small. It has 6 pistils and 12 stamens. It is also known as "Kubiki-kan-aoi" in Japan. It is a foodplant for Gifu butterfly (Luehdorfia japonica) caterpillars.
|