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The Basketplant (Callisia fragrans) belongs to Commelinaceae (the Spiderwort family). It is an evergreen herb that is native to Mexico. It is now widely grown for hanging baskets. The stem grows to about 1 m long, with creeping branches coming out from the base. The leaves are elliptic-lanceolate and clustered at the end of the stem. From the top of the stem, a 60cm-long, nodding flower stalk grows, producing concentrated inflorescences at each node, which produce fragrant white flowers. It is called "Shidare-tsuyu-kusa" (weeping dewdrop) in Japanese because the long flower stalks droop down from the branches. The photo shows the spotted garden variety "Variegata.
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