セツブンソウは日本在来種。名前の通り、冬が終わる節分の頃から花を咲かせます。ラテン語の属名エランティスも「春の花」という意味。
Winter Aconite is native to Japan. The Japanese name means “flower of the last day of winter”. On the last day of winter, the Japanese wish for a wonderful spring. The Latin genus name Eranthis also means “spring flower”.
【仮名】セツブンソウ
【和名】節分草
【英名】Winter Aconite
【学名】Eranthis pinnatifida
【誕生】01/ 23, 02/ 01, 02/ 02, 02/ 03
【開花】02, 03月
【花色】White
セツブンソウ
セツブンソウの生態
セツブンソウはキンポウゲ科の多年草です。原産地は日本で、関東以西の石灰岩地帯に分布し、冬に陽射しが入る落葉樹林内で群生。秋の終わりに芽を伸ばして冬を越し、春の初めに花を咲かせて実を結び、夏は茎と葉を枯らして休眠します。常緑針葉樹林の拡大や乱獲などで衰退中。
セツブンソウの名前
セツブンソウは名前の通り、冬が終わる節分の頃から花を咲かせます。ラテン語の属名エランティスも「春の花」という意味。花言葉の「気品」「光輝」「微笑」の通り、花の少ない林床で咲きます。種小名ピンナティフィダは「羽状中裂」という意味。花冠下の総苞葉に由来します。
セツブンソウの姿形
セツブンソウは暗褐色の丸い塊茎から短い根が伸長。茎先に掌のような総苞葉が輪生し、その真ん中から花柄を伸ばします。花冠は花弁のように見える白色の萼片が５枚。薄紅色の雌しべの周りを、青紫色の葯を抱えた雄しべが囲み、その周りに黄色の蜜腺を並べて虫たちを誘います。
セツブンソウの近縁
セツブンソウの近縁種「雛祭草」は草丈も花も大きく、「大輪節分草」「韓国節分草」「朝鮮節分草」とも呼ばれます。花が黄色の「黄花節分草」は多くの系統があり、欧州のアルプス山脈、ギリシャ～シリアの山岳地帯、中央アジアの山岳地帯など。「洋種節分草」とも呼ばれます。
Winter Aconite
Ecology of Winter Aconite
Winter Aconite is a perennial plant of Ranunculaceae family. Originating in Japan, it is distributed in limestone areas west of the Kanto region, and grows in colonies in deciduous forests that receive sunlight in winter. It sprouts at the end of autumn and spends the winter, blooms at the beginning of spring, bears fruit, dies off the stems and leaves in the summer and goes dormant. It is in decline due to the expansion of evergreen coniferous forests and overexploitation.
Name of Winter Aconite
The Japanese name of Winter Aconite means “flower of the last day of winter”. On the last day of winter, the Japanese wish for a wonderful spring. The Latin genus name Eranthis means “spring flower”. It blooms on the forest floor where there are few flowers, as the language of flowers is “elegance”, “brightness” and “smile”. The species name Pinnatifida means “pinnate middle cleft”. Derived from the involucral bracts below the corolla.
Appearance of Winter Aconite
Winter Aconite grows short roots from dark brown round tubers. Palm-like involucral bracts are whorled at the tip of the stem, and the flower stalk extends from the center. The corolla has five white sepals that look like petals. The light red pistil is surrounded by stamens with bluish-purple anthers, and yellow nectars are arranged around them to attract insects.
Relative of Winter Aconite
The related species of Winter Aconite, “Eranthis byunsanensis”, has large plant height and flowers. The yellow-flowered Eranthis genus includes “Eranthis hyemalis”, which is native to the European Alps, “Eranthis cilicica”, which is native to the mountainous regions of Greece and Syria, and “Eranthis longistipitata”, which is native to the mountainous regions of Central Asia.
