わが国の本州、秋田県以南から九州北部、それに朝鮮半島や中国東北部に分布しています。東日本に多いそうです。山地の木陰に生え、高さは30〜80センチになります。茎の途中に、長い柄のある数個の葉が仮輪状につきます。葉は掌状に浅裂します。8月から10月ごろ、花茎をのばして白い花を横向きに咲かせます。頭花は3個の筒状小花からなります。和名は、花を仏具の払子(ほっす)飾りに使う「はぐま(白熊)」に、葉を「もみじ(紅葉)」に見立てたもの。中国語では「浅裂槭葉兔兒風(qian lie qi ye tu er feng) 」と呼ばれます。
キク科モミジハグマ属の多年草で、学名は Ainsliaea acerifolia var. subapoda。英名はありません。
The "Oku-momiji-haguma" (Ainsliaea acerifolia var. subapoda) belongs to Asteraceae (the Aster family). It is a perennial herb that is native from Akita Prefecture of Honshu south to northern Kyushu in Japan, as well as the Korean Peninsula and northeastern China. It grows mainly in eastern Japan. This herb grows in mountainous tree-shaded areas and it can reach 30-80 cm in height. The several long-petiolate leaves are borne annularly at the middle of stem. They are divided into palmately lobes. The flowering stalks are borne and the white flowers bloom sideways from August to October. The flower-head consists of three tubular florets. The Japanese name is derived from its flowers, which resemble the "haguma" used to decorate Buddhist altar ornaments, and its leaves, which resemble "momiji" (maple leaves). In Chinese, it is called "浅裂槭葉兔兔風" (qian lie qi ye tu er feng).