The "Tsukubane-utsugi" (Abelia spathulata) belongs to Caprifoliaceae (the Honeysuckle family). It is a deciduous shrub that is distributed from Honshu to Shikoku and Kyushu in Japan. This shrub grows in sunny mountain valleys and can reach 1-2 m in height. The Japanese common name is derived from shuttlecock-like fruits. The white to pale yellow flowers bloom tow by two atop of twigs from May to June. The coralla has orange mottles on the inside of lower lip and 5 sepals of equal size.