|
The White lilyturf (Ophiopogon jaburan) belongs to Liliaceae (the Lily family). It is a perennial evergreen herb that is distributed from the Tokai region and westward on Honshu, throughout Shikoku and Kyushu, the Ryukyu Islands, and Jeju Island. It grows in the slightly moist understory of warm coastal forests, reaching a height of 30 to 50 cm. The leaves are 30 to 80 cm long, thick, glossy, and smooth. Its Japanese name comes from its flat stems and leaves resembling a "noshi" (decorative paper strip). From July to September, it extends scapes bearing white to pale purple flowers. The flowers are 1-2 cm in diameter, with petal-like sepals slightly curved backward and downward. The round, bluish-purple structures appearing like fruits after flowering are actually seeds.
|