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The "Randai-mizu" (Elatostema platyphylloides) belongs to Urticaceae (the Nettle family). It is a perennial herb that is distributed from Iriomote Island in the Yaeyama Islands of Japan to Taiwan, southern China, and the Himalayan region. It grows along mountain rivers and reaches a height of 50 to 100 cm. The stem is erect and branches profusely. The leaves are distorted elliptic to narrow elliptic, alternate, and have fine serrations on the margins. Flowers bloom in the leaf axils from April to June. It is dioecious, with male inflorescences in cymes and female inflorescences small and solitary. Iriomote Island is the northern limit of its distribution, and it is classified as Endangered (EN) on the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment. The Japanese name comes from the "巒大山" (Luandai shan) in Nantou County, Taiwan. It is called "巒大冷清草" in Taiwanese Chinese and "ェ葉楼梯草" (kuan ye lou ti cao) in Chinese.
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