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The "Ko-seriba-ohren" (Coptis japonica var. japonica) belongs to Ranunculaceae (the Buttercup family). It is an evergreen perennial herb that is found from the southern part of the Tohoku region to the Kinki region on Honshu and Shikoku, along the Pacific coast. It grows in mountain forests and reaches a height of 15 to 40 cm. The leaves are thin, three-times-ternate compound leaves with sharp serrations. From around February to March, it extends a flower stalk and produces white flowers at the tip of the stem. The white parts that appear to be petals are actually sepals, and pale yellow stamens cluster at the center. The plant is dioecious, though it is rarely monoecious. The fruit is a capsule, with 5 to 10 fruits arranged in a whorl. In recent years, it has been recognized as the type species for "Kikuba-ohren" and "Seriba-ohren".
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