ラッキョウは、赤紫色の小花が丸く集まった可憐な花を咲かせますが、畑では鱗茎の増殖や肥大を妨げないよう、蕾のうちに取り除かれます。
Rakkyo produces delicate flowers consisting of small, round purple florets. However, in the field, the flowers are removed while still in bud to prevent them from interfering with the growth and development of the bulb.
【仮名】ラッキョウ, ガイハク
【和名】薤, 薤白
【英名】Rakkyo, Chinese Onion
【学名】Allium chinense
【誕生】10/ ??
【開花】10, 11月
【花色】Purple
ラッキョウ
ラッキョウの概要
ラッキョウはヒガンバナ科ネギ属の多年草です。原産地は中国で、日本へは９世紀の平安時代に薬用で渡来し、江戸時代に食用の栽培が本格化。秋の終わりに赤紫色の小花が丸く集まった可憐な花を咲かせますが、畑では鱗茎の増殖や肥大を妨げないよう、蕾のうちに取り除かれます。
ラッキョウの名前
ラッキョウの和名は中国語「辣薤」に由来。現代の発音は「ラーシエ」ですが、唐代の発音「ラツゲイ」からの転訛です。辣薤は「辛いラッキョウ」という意味。和名は薤だけで「ラッキョウ」です。ラテン語の属名アリウムは「ニンニク」、種小名キネンセは「中国の」という意味。
ラッキョウの姿形
ラッキョウは卵形～紡錘形の鱗茎を形成。鱗茎から地下に多くの繊細な根を伸ばし、地上に中空の花茎を真っ直ぐ立ち上げます。葉は叢生の細長い線形。中空で断面が五角形です。花は花弁が６枚、雄しべが６本、雌しべが３裂。茎先に丸く集まって咲き、ほとんど結実せず萎れます。
ラッキョウの利用
ラッキョウは甘酢漬け、塩漬け、醤油漬け、味噌漬け、粕漬け、サラダ、炒めもの、天ぷらなどで食べられます。アリシンなどの硫化アリル（スルフィド）、フルクタンなどのオリゴ糖（多糖類）が豊富。生薬「薤白」として腹痛、下痢、冷え性、健胃、滋養強壮などに用いられます。
Rakkyo
Rakkyo is a perennial plant in the Amaryllidaceae family. It is native to China. It was introduced to Japan in the 9th century during the Heian period for medicinal purposes, and cultivation for food began in earnest during the Edo period. Rakkyo produces delicate flowers consisting of small, round purple florets in late autumn. However, in the field, the flowers are removed while still in bud to prevent them from interfering with the growth and development of the bulb.
Rakkyo is of Chinese origin, corrupted from the Tang Dynasty pronunciation “lhat-gaj,” which means “spicy rakkyo.” The Latin genus name Allium means “garlic,” and the specific epithet chinense means “Chinese.”
Rakkyo grows ovate to spindle-shaped bulbs. Numerous delicate roots grow underground from these bulbs, producing straight, hollow flower stalks. The leaves are clumping and linear. They are hollow and pentagonal in cross section. Flowers have six petals, six stamens, and a three-lobed pistil. They bloom in a round cluster at the end of the stem, rarely bearing fruit, and then wilt.
Rakkyo can be pickled in sweet and sour sauce, salt, soy sauce, miso, or sake lees, or eaten in salads, stir-fries, or as tempura. It is rich in allyl sulfides such as allicin and oligosaccharides (polysaccharides) such as fructans. It is used as an herbal medicine for stomach pain, diarrhea, sensitivity to cold, stomach ailments, and as a nutritional tonic.
