Elaeocarpus Sylvestris (Woodland Elaeocarpus) ホルトノキ

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are the flowers and buds (4th photo) of elaeocarpus sylvestris or more commonly woodland elaeocarpus tree. The flowers and buds are both tiny, downward facing, and cute! 

The tree is called "Portugal tree" in Japanese because Gennai Hiraga (1728 - 1780), a famous Japanese pharmacologist, student of Rangaku (i.e., western learning), physician, author, painter and inventor (in short, a genius!) in the Edo period, mistook this tree for an olive tree, which was then called "Portugal tree." Even Homer sometimes nods. Gennai isn't an exception😉

Flowers of elaeocarpus sylvestris ホルトノキ

Woodland elaeocarpus ホルトノキ

Buds of woodland elaeocarpus ホルトノキの蕾

  

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「ホルトノキ」です。平賀源内が、この木を、当時「ポルトガルの木」と呼ばれていたオリーブの木と間違ってしまい、「ポルトガルの木」→「ホルトノキ」となったそうです。弘法も筆の誤り。源内も例外ではないようです😉

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