やえやますずこうじゅ (八重山鈴香需) [Index] [Back] わが国の沖縄群島の沖縄島や伊計島、久米島、八重山群島の新城島や与那国島、それに台湾の緑島に分布しています。海岸近くの隆起石灰岩の上に生え、高さは１０〜２０センチになります。葉はやや多肉質で卵円形から円形、縁には円鋸歯があります。２月から５月ごろ、上部の葉腋に総状花序をだし、淡紅色から紅色の小さな花を咲かせます。花冠は２唇形で、下唇は３裂します。別名で「よなくにしきくんそう（与那国四季草）」とも呼ばれますが、属名にもなっている「シキクン（四季）」は、台湾宜蘭県大同郷四季村に位置する、泰雅（タイヤル）族の集落名「四季部落（Qalang Skikun）」を表しています。環境省のレットブックでは、絶滅危惧II類（ＶＵ）に分類されています。台湾華語では「琉球鈴木草」と呼ばれます。 シソ科シキクンソウ属の常緑多年草で、学名は Suzukia luchuensis (syn. Glechoma luchuensis)。英名はありません。 The "Yaeyama-suzu-kouju" (Suzukia luchuensis) belongs to Asteraceae (the Aster family). It is an evergreen perennial herb that is found on Okinawa Island, Ikei Island, and Kume Island in the Okinawa Islands; on Aragusuku Island and Yonaguni Island in the Yaeyama Islands; and on Lutao Island (Green Island) in Taiwan. It grows on uplifted limestone near the coast and reaches a height of 10 to 20 cm. The leaves are slightly fleshy, ovate to round, and have rounded serrations along the margins. From February to around May, it produces racemose inflorescences from the upper leaf axils, bearing small flowers ranging from pale pink to red. The corolla is two-lipped, with the lower lip divided into three lobes. It is also known by the alternative name "Yonakuni-shikikun-so", but "shikikun" - which also serves as the genus name - refers to the name of a Tayal tribal settlement "Qalang Skikun" located in Skikun Village, Datong Township, Yilan County, Taiwan. It is classified as Vulnerable (VU) in the Ministry of the Environment's Red List. In Taiwanese in Chinese, it is called "琉球鈴木草". 茨城県つくば市「つくば実験植物園」にて、2026年03月28日撮影。 Shu Suehiro shu@botanic.jp