Silene Vulgaris (Bladder Campion) 白玉草（シラタマソウ）

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

Something was bothering me, so I couldn't enjoy a morning walk as much as I did. Then I found these bladder campion (Silene vulgaris) flowers. They flowered in early May, then disappeared and came back! I photographed them and without realizing it, I was smiling.

Bladder campion　白玉草

Silene vulgaris　シラタマソウ

Toad Lily (Tricyrtis Formosana) タイワンホトトギス（台湾杜鵑草）

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

This is a toad lily (Tricyrtis formosana). The name is after its spots that look like a toad's skin, and it prefers shady, moist places like toads. The toad lily is called however "lesser cuckoo" in Japan also after its spots, which, to Japanese people, look like the chest plumage of this small bird. Perception varies. 

Toad lily　タイワンホトトギス

Tricyrtis formosana　台湾杜鵑草

False Parasol (Chlorophyllum Molybdites) オオシロカラカサタケ（大白唐傘茸）

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

It was humid but not raining, so I left home to take a walk this morning. Then, it started to rain and I found these mushrooms. They're false parasol (Chlorophyllum molybdites) young fruit bodies. They're still young but big. Look at the 2nd photo of these mushrooms and my smartphone! They're beautiful (and look delicious) but they've poisoned many people...😱

False parasol　オオシロカラカサタケ

Chlorophyllum molybdites　大白唐傘茸

Sweet Autumn Clematis 仙人草（センニンソウ）

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

These are sweet autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora). The pure white flowers are so pretty but that's not it. The achenes are so pretty, too! I saw them last November. I'm already looking forward to seeing the achenes in autumn! 

Sweet autumn clematis　仙人草

 

A Crane Fly on Bushkiller ヤブガラシ（薮枯）の上のガガンボ？

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

I found a crane fly (Tipulidae) on bushkiller (Causonis japonica). It was so small that I didn't notice it at first. Bushkillers usually flower from June to August in Japan but maybe because it was too hot this summer (and it's still so), the plant flowers in many places in my neighborhood.    

A crane fly on bushkiller　ヤブガラシの上のガガンボ

Bushkiller　藪枯

Cerasus Subhirtella or Winter Cherry 十月桜（冬桜）

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

Cherry trees in my neighborhood have started to flower! You may think I'm mistaken, but I'm not. These are winter cherry (or October cherry) blossoms (Cerasus x subhirtella). It was extremely hot this summer and has been still so in Japan, but autumn is certainly approaching. Japan will have a mild winter according to the weather forecast. 

 Winter cherry　冬桜

Cerasus subhirtella　十月桜

Female Sponge Gourd Flower (Luffa Aegyptiaca) ヘチマの雌花

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

I wrote about sponge gourds in early July, but the focus at that time was the fruits. The flower in the 1st photo is female. I can tell that because the flower center is not yellow but yellow green. The garden has many flowers (2nd photo), but I was able to find only one female flower. 

Female sponge gourd flower　ヘチマの雌

Horsefly アブ

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

I was looking for London plane flowers when I noticed something landing on a grass stem. Then, I found it. So cute, isn't it? Luckily, it stayed where it was for a while, so I was able to take these photos.

 

Horsefly　アブ

Lycoris Radiata (Red Spider Lily) 曼珠沙華（彼岸花）

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

The color and shape is so beautiful, isn't it?! This is a red spider lily (Lycoris radiata). It's still hot and humid, but certainly, autumn is approaching in Japan. 

The perception of the flower in Japan is ominous because the lilies, whose bulbs are poisonous, were planted to keep moles and other animals away from buried bodies. Burial used to be common in Japan but currently, cremation is. 

Red spider lily　曼珠沙華

Lycoris radiata　彼岸花（ヒガンバナ）

Pumpkin Beetles Like Gourds, Too! 黒瓜葉虫はヘチマもお好き！

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

At the beginning of this month, I wrote about pumpkin beetles (Aulacophora nigripennis) on flowers of Trichosanthes kirilowii (Chinese cucumber) and today, I found the beetles on sponge gourd flowers. These pumpkin beetles are known to be harmful to gourds and cucumbers, but not that so compared to red pumpkin beetles (i.e., Aulacophora femoralis).

A pumpkin beetle on a sponge gourd flower　ヘチマの花の上の黒瓜葉虫

Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia Indica) 百日紅（サルスベリ）

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

I wrote in late July that all the crepe myrtle trees in my neighborhood were in full bloom and voila! Now, the branches are bending under the weight of the fruit!! I just wish they were all gemstones💎😆!!    

Too many crepe myrtle fruits　百日紅の実がたわわ

Paederia Foetida (Skunkvine) 屁糞葛（ヘクソカズラ）

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

These are flowers of Paederia foetida or more commonly skunkvine! I love the flowers despite their smell and terrible name😆. I didn't see them much in July or August and this may be because it was too hot in Japan at the time. Now the plant flowers in many places in my neighborhood, which makes me smile😊! The plant has also a terrible name in Japanese, meaning "fart, sxxx vine"😂

Skunkvine　屁糞葛

Paederia foetida　ヘクソカズラ

Coprinopsis Lagopus (Hare’s Foot Inkcap)? 粗柄一夜茸（ザラエノヒトヨタケ）？

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

It's less hot but still humid in Japan and that's why I found them. These are hare’s foot inkcap mushrooms (Coprinopsis lagopus) or so I think. Mushrooms usually attract me for their shape but hare’s foot inkcap mushrooms intrigue me with their color, i.e., translucency.

Hare’s foot inkcap　粗柄一夜茸

Coprinopsis lagopus　ザラエノヒトヨタケ

Quercus Myrsinifolia (Bamboo-Leaf Oak) 白樫（シラカシ）

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

Babies are adorable, including these baby acorns of bamboo-leaf oak (Quercus myrsinifolia)! It's still hot in Japan but September is here and autumn is approaching🍂!

Quercus myrsinifolia (bamboo-leaf oak)　白樫（シラカシ）

Albizia Julibrissin (Persian Silk Tree) 合歓木（ネムノキ）

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

It's strange this year. Plants that usually flower again in early summer flower these days, like this, i.e., Persian silk trees (Albizia julibrissin). My guess is that plants that couldn't flower in early summer as it was so hot in July have just remembered they can flower!  

The Persian silk tree is called “nemu no ki” in Japanese, meaning “sleeping tree” as its leaves fold closed and look like they're asleep at night😴. 

Albizia julibrissin　合歓木

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Chinese Cucumber (Trichosanthes Kirilowii) 黄烏瓜（キカラスウリ）

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

I went there to see them again, finding beautifully star-shaped Chinese cucumber flowers (Trichosanthes kirilowii). I posted photos of the flowers the day before yesterday, but the flowers I saw this morning were so beautiful that I couldn't throw away these photos! 

Chinese cucumber　黄烏瓜

Trichosanthes kirilowii　キカラスウリ

Ipomoea Coccinea (Red Morning Glory) 丸葉縷紅草（マルバルコウソウ）

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

I thought they'd died. My neighborhood has been redeveloped, so the area where there are the flowers was completely dug up and has been surrounded by white fences. But amazingly or naturally, these red morning glories (Ipomoea Coccinea) have survived😂!  

Red morning glory　丸葉縷紅草

Ipomoea coccinea　マルバルコウソウ

Chinese Cucumber & Pumpkin Beetle 黄烏瓜と黒瓜葉虫

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

I gave up on seeing them this year because they were completely removed this spring and didn't flower in June, i.e., the month in which I saw the flowers last year and the year before, but voila! They're flowers of Trichosanthes kirilowii (Chinese cucumber). And that's not it. I found pumpkin beetles (Aulacophora nigripennis) on them, too. I love these "hairy" Chinese cucumber flowers and tiny, colorful beetles! 

A pumpkin beetle holding on to Chinese cucumber flowers
黄烏瓜の花にしがみつく黒瓜葉虫