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The "Tsuru-soba" (Persicaria chinensis) belongs to Polygonaceae (the Knotweed family). It is a perennial evergreen herb that is native to the Izu Peninsula and the Kii Peninsula of Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu in Japan, as well as Taiwan, China and the Malay Peninsula. This herb grows in the coastal areas of warm climate and the vine is branched up to 1 m long. The leaves are leathery, glossy and opposite. Small white flowers come from May to November. The fruits ripen black in winter and have an acid taste. In Taiwanese Chinese, it is called "火炭母草" and "火炭母" (huo tan mu) in Chinese.
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