わが国の各地をはじめ、朝鮮半島や中国東北部、シベリア、北アメリカに広く分布しています。山地帯から亜高山帯の針葉樹林内に生え、高さは10〜15センチになります。葉は心形から卵心形で互生します。5月から7月ごろ、まばらな総状花序に小さな白色の花を咲かせます。夏から秋にかけて、丸くて赤い液果をつけます。和名は、葉脈のかたちを「つる(鶴)」が舞う姿に喩えたもの。中国語では「舞鶴草(wu he cao)」と呼ばれます。
The False lily-of-the-valley (Maianthemum dilatatum) belongs to Liliaceae (the Lily family). It is a perennial herb that is native to Japan, as well as the Korean Peninsula, north-eastern China, Siberia and North America. This herb grows in montane to sub-alpine coniferous forests and can reach 10-15 cm in height. The leaves are cordate to ovate-cordate and alternate. The flowers are small, white, and bloom in the sparse racemes from May to July. The fruits are round berries and ripen in red from summer to fall. The Japanese name is derived from the shape of the veins of the leaves, which resemble dancing cranes. It is called "舞鶴草" (wu he cao) in Chinese.