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The "Suizenji-na" (Gynura bicolor) belongs to Asteraceae (the Aster family). It is a perennial herb that is native to the tropics of East Asia. It was introduced to Japan from China in the 18th century. It is known as "Suizenji-na" in Kumamoto Prefecture, "Kinji-so" in Ishikawa Prefecture, "Shikibu-so" in Aichi Prefecture, and "Handa-ma" in Kagoshima and Okinawa Prefectures, where it is considered a traditional vegetable. The stems are tender, and the long-ovate leaves are arranged alternately. The undersides of the leaves are purple. From around April to May, it extends a flower stalk bearing a corymb of yellow or yellow-red flowers. Since it does not produce seeds, propagation is done exclusively by cuttings. In Taiwanese Chinese, it is called "紅鳳菜", and "紅鳳菜" (hong feng cai) in Chinese.
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