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The "Teriha-nogiku" (Aster taiwanensis var. lucens) belongs to Asteraceae (the Aster family). It is a perennial herb that is an endemic species to Japan, found on Iriomote Island in the Yaeyama Islands and on Uotsuri Island in the Senkaku Islands. It grows in mountainous forests, along forest edges, and beside mountain streams, reaching a height of 30 to 60 cm. The leaves are lanceolate with pointed tips, coarsely serrated edges, and arranged alternately. From October to around March, it produces corymbs at the stem tips, bearing white flower heads 10-15 mm in diameter. The fruit is an achene with a pappus, and the seeds are dispersed by the wind. The type species is "台灣馬蘭", which grows in the highlands of Taiwan.
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