マツムシソウは北海道から九州まで、山地や高原の陽当たりの良いところに群生。秋を黄褐色に彩る風に淡く優しい青紫色の花を揺らします。
Scabiosa Japonica grows in sunny areas in mountains and plateaus from Hokkaido to Kyushu. The pale and gentle violet flowers sway in the wind that colors autumn in yellowish brown.
【仮名】マツムシソウ
【和名】松虫草, 山蘿蔔
【英名】Scabiosa Japonica
【学名】Scabiosa japonica
【誕生】06/ 30, 08/ 13
【開花】08, 09, 10月
【花色】White, Violet
マツムシソウ
マツムシソウの概要
マツムシソウはスイカズラ科の２年草です。北海道から本州、四国、九州まで、山地や高原の陽当たりの良いところに群生。秋を黄褐色に彩る風に淡く優しい青紫色の花を揺らします。かつては山菜としてお浸しや和え物などの食用に。薬草として頭痛や発熱などにも用いられました。
マツムシソウの名前
マツムシソウの名前の由来は「松虫」の鳴く頃に花が咲くからです。この松虫は今のスズムシの古名。その鳴き声に似た音が出る仏具「松虫鉦」に、花後の姿が似ているからともいわれます。ラテン語の属名スカビオサは「疥癬」という意味で、昔その治療に松虫草が用いられたため。
マツムシソウの姿形
マツムシソウは根が太く、茎が直立します。葉は１年目に根生し、２年目に茎葉が対生。羽状に深裂し、上方で裂片が狭くなります。花は頭状花で、真ん中の小花が筒状、周りの小花が舌状。いずれも花冠が５裂し、雄しべが５本です。花後の果実は棘のついた種子が集まって球形に。
マツムシソウの種類
マツムシソウの変種「高嶺松虫草」は本州と四国の高地に分布。草丈が低く、花が大きく、夏に咲きます。「磯馴松虫草」は関東地方の海辺に分布。草丈が低く、葉が厚く、白色の花が咲きます。「蝦夷松虫草」は北日本に分布。「三河松虫草」は東三河地方の蛇紋岩地に分布します。
マツムシソウの近縁
マツムシソウの近縁種「西洋松虫草」は原産地が欧州。花色に富み、花の中央と周辺が盛り上がります。「コーカサス松虫草」は原産地が欧州～西アジア。花弁の幅が広く、大きな花が咲きます。矮性種「コルンバリア」は鉢植えに、花が淡黄色で小さな「オクロレウカ」は庭植えに。
Scabiosa Japonica
Introduction of Scabiosa Japonica
Scabiosa Japonica is a biennial plant of the Caprifoliaceae family. It is distributed from Hokkaido to Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, and grows in clusters in sunny areas of mountains and plateaus. The pale and gentle violet flowers sway in the wind that colors autumn in yellowish brown. It used to be eaten as a wild vegetable in dips and salads. It was used as a medicinal herb to treat headaches and fevers.
Name of Scabiosa Japonica
The Japanese name of Scabiosa Japonica means “grass of a species of cricket”. This is because the flowers bloom around the time this insect chirps. It is also said that this is because the shape of the flower after the flower resembles a Buddhist altar tool that makes a sound similar to the chirping of this insect. The Latin genus name Scabiosa means “scabies.” This is because in the past, Scabiosa was used to treat scabies.
Shape of Scabiosa Japonica
Scabiosa Japonica has thick roots and upright stems. Leaves grow basally in the first year and alternate in the second year. It is pinnately deeply lobed, with the lobes narrowing upwards. The flowers are flower heads, with the central floret shaped like a tube and the surrounding florets shaped like a tongue. Both tubular flowers and ray flowers have five-lobed corollas and five stamens. After flowering, the fruit is a ball-shaped made up of spiny seeds.
Types of Scabiosa Japonica
Scabiosa Japonica variety “Alpina” is distributed in the highlands of Honshu and Shikoku. The plant height is short, the flowers are large, and they bloom in summer. “Littoralis” is distributed along the coasts of the Kanto region. It has a short plant height, thick leaves, and white flowers. “Acutiloba” is distributed in northern Japan. “Breviligula” is distributed in the serpentinite areas of the Higashi Mikawa region.
Relatives of Scabiosa Japonica
A close relative of Scabiosa Japonica, “Atropurpurea,” is native to Europe. The flowers are rich in color, and the center and periphery of the flowers are swollen. “Caucasica” is native to Europe and Western Asia. The petals are wide and the flowers are large. The dwarf species “Columbaria” is used as a potted plant. “Ochroleuca”, which has small pale yellow flowers, is used for garden planting.
