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The "Gusuku-kan-aoi" (Asarum gusk) belongs to Aristolochiaceae (the Birthwort family). It is a perennial herb that is endemic to Amami Oshima in Kyushu, Japan. It grows on the forest floor of evergreen broadleaf forests at elevations of 300 to 450 m, reaching a height of about 10 cm. The leaves are cordate, dark green, and non-glossy, with fine hairs scattered on the surface and margins. From January to March, it blooms with flowers that are purple-tinged against a pale green to greenish-brown background. The calyx tube is urn-shaped, with fringed-like ridges spreading flat at the tube's mouth. It has 6 pistils and 12 stamens. The Ministry of the Environment's Red List classifies it as Critically Endangered (CR). Its Japanese name derives from its first discovery site, Gusuku (Amami City, Sumiyo Town).
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