Rohdea japonica

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:Speciesbox

Rohdea japonica is a species of plant native to Japan, China and Korea.[1][2][3][4] Common names include Nippon lily, sacred lily, and Japanese sacred lily.

It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant, with fibrous roots. The leaves are evergreen, broad lanceolate, 15–50 cm long and 2.5–7 cm broad, with an acute apex. The flowers are produced in a short, stout, dense spike 3–4 cm long, each flower pale yellowish, 4–5 mm long. The fruit is a red berry 8 mm diameter, produced in a tight cluster of several together.

Cultivation and uses

File:Kinka Ikenobo 錦花池坊 002.jpg
Traditional arrangement of Kinka Ikenobō school using omoto (Rohdea japonica)

It is cultivated as an ornamental plant. In Chinese it is called wan nian qing (simplified: ; traditional: 萬年青; lit. "evergreen"), and for this reason has been used symbolically in visual culture (e.g. on Mao badges Template:Webarchive). In Japanese it is called omoto.

The plant is also used in traditional Chinese medicine, though it is generally regarded as inedible and possibly toxic.


References

Template:Reflist

External links

Template:Authority control Template:Taxonbar


Template:Asparagaceae-stub

  1. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. Tanaka, N. (2010). A taxonomic revision of the genus Rohdea (Asparagaceae). Makinoa , n.s., 9: 1-54.
  3. Ohwi, J. (1984). Flora of Japan (in English): 1-1067. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
  4. Lee, W.T. (1996). Lineamenta Florae Koreae: 1-1688. Soul T'ukpyolsi: Ak'ademi Sojok.