わが国の北海道から本州・四国、それに北半球の亜寒帯に広く分布しています。シラビソ帯からハイマツ帯の草原や林縁などに生え、高さは10〜20センチになります。葉脈のはっきりした葉が、茎の上部に輪生状につきます。6月から7月ごろ、白い花を上向きに咲かせます。花冠はふつう深く7裂し、螺旋状に重なっています。和名は、咲き始めたころ、花冠の縁に赤い褄取りがあることから。中国名では「七瓣蓮(qi ban lian)」。
The Chickweed wintergreen (Trientalis europaea) belongs to Primulaceae (the Primrose family). It is a perennial herb that is distributed widely from Hokkaido to Honshu, Shikoku of Japan and the subarctic region of Northern Hemispere. This herb grows in grasslands or forest deges of Veitch fir zone to Dwarf Siberian pine zone, and can reach 10-20 cm in height. The leaves are arranged in whorls on the upper part of stem with obvious veins. The white flowers bloom upward from June to July. The corolla is usually divided into seven partites, and arranged spirally. The Japanese name comes from the red tassel on the edge of the corolla when it begins to bloom. The Chinese name is "七瓣蓮" (qi ban lian).