Pink Japanese Stewartia (Stewartia Pseudocamellia) ピンクの夏椿（ナツツバキ）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

First I was surprised to find these camellia like flowers on the street I walk down every morning and then a common straight swift landing on one of the flowers. These flowers are Japanese stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia). As part of its scientific name "pseudocamellia" suggests, the Japanese stewartia is related to camellias and therefore called natsu tsubaki in Japan, which means summer camellia. The camellia is evergreen while the Japanese stewartia is deciduous. 

A common straight swift on a pink Japanese stewartia　ピンクの夏椿とイチモンジセセリ 

Tahitian Bridal Veil (Gibasis Pellucida) 姫常磐露草（ブライダルベール）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I said "Wow." A month ago, they were just like in the second photo and today, I've found them blooming like in the first photo! They're Tahitian bridal veil (Gibasis pellucida). As the name suggests, they're native to Central America and Mexico. The flowers are 1cm in diameter, so tiny and so cute. 

Tahitian bridal veil (Gibasis pellucida)　姫常磐露草（ブライダルベール）

Japanese Dogwood (Cornus Kousa) ヤマボウシ（山法師）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Fruits of a Japanese dogwood tree (Cornus kousa) in my neighborhood have been changing from green to red. Japanese dogwood fruits are edible but not sold (as fruits) in Japan as far as I know. 

The Japanese dogwood is called "evergreen Buddhist monk" in Japanese by comparing the head (or capitulum) of the flower to the head of a monk of the Hieizan (Mt. Hiei) Enryakuji temple and the four bracts surrounding the capitulum to his hood (3rd and 4th photos).

10/2/2024

8/21/2023

Asian bluetail (Ischnura asiatica) アジアイトトンボ（亜細亜糸蜻蛉）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Something makes you always feel happy, doesn't it? One such thing for me is this dragonfly, the Asian bluetail (Ischnura asiatica). The bright blue tip of the tail is so beautiful. 

At first, halberd shaped leaves (2nd photo) caught my eye and then the dragonfly on one of the leaves did. The dragonfly is male. Asian bluetails are common in Japan but because of their thinness, you wouldn't be able to find them easily.  

The halberd shaped leaves are Japanese bindweeds. I've seen the flowers many times but noticed the leaf shape for the first time. 

Asian bluetail (Ischnura asiatica)　アジアイトトンボ（亜細亜糸蜻蛉）

Japanese Horse Chestnut (Aesculus Turbinata) トチノキ（栃の木）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I thought that they were Japanese chestnuts at first but they have no burs. They're Japanese horse chestnuts (Aesculus turbinata). Japanese horse chestnuts resemble European horse chestnuts and Japanese chestnuts very much but Japanese chestnuts open when ripe whereas the Japanese and European horse chestnuts do not. Also, while Japanese chestnuts are edible and sweet, Japanese horse chestnuts are edible but very bitter and the European ones are poisonous. You cannot mistake one for another...   

 

Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata)　トチノキ（栃の木）

The horse chestnut bur does not open even when ripe
熟しても栃の木の蒴果は閉じたまま