|
The "Hikino-kasa" (Ranunculus ternatus) belongs to Ranunculaceae (the Buttercup family). It is a perennial herb that is distributed from the Kanto region of Honshu westward to Shikoku and Kyushu in Japan, as well as Taiwan, Jeju Island, and eastern China. It grows in moist grasslands and reaches a height of 10 to 30 cm. The stems and leaves are sparsely covered with hairs. The basal leaves have long petioles and are trifoliate. The cauline leaves are mostly sessile. From March to May, shiny yellow flowers bloom at the tips of the stems. The fruit is an achene with a short hook. The Japanese name comes from the resemblance of the flowers to a frog's umbrella. In Taiwanese Chinese, it is called "小毛茛" and "猫爪草" (mao zhua cao) in Chinese.
|