Plants and Flowers in Tokyo & Japanese Culture by Kei Narujima　東京の草花＆つぶやき

Jamides Celeno (Common Cerulean)??　小白波紋小灰蝶（コシロウラナミシジミ）？？

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

This looks like Jamides celeno or more commonly a common cerulean butterfly, but it can't be. Common ceruleans should be only in Taiwan. But still, this butterfly really resembles the common cerulean...

When I first saw this, I thought it was a piece of paper on a twig, but when approaching it, I started to think it might be a butterfly but was not sure because it has a pair of small black spots on the underside of the hindwings beside each hindwing tail and these black spots (which look like eyes) and the hindwing tails (which look like antennae) made the end of the hindwings look like the head, making me wonder if the butterfly had two heads???

According to Wikipedia, adult individuals of some butterflies in the Lycaenidae family have hairy antenna-like tails complete with black and white annulated (ringed) appearance and a spot at the base of the tail, and some turn around upon landing to confuse potential predators from recognizing the true head orientation.... It worked. I was confused😅!!

Jamides celeno??　小白波紋小灰蝶？？

Common cerulean??　コシロウラナミシジミ？？

Fruits of Melaleuca Viminalis (Weeping Bottlebrush)　ブラシの木の実

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

I thought at first the tree was sick, but these small bumps or galls on the branches are organized for something caused by sickness. They're fruits of Melaleuca viminalis or more commonly known as weeping bottlebrush. If you want to know why the tree is called bottlebrush, read this post. You will see why😆!

Fruits of Melaleuca viminalis ブラシの木の実

Triadica Sebifera (Chinese Tallow)　南京櫨（ナンキンハゼ）

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

The fruits of triadica sebifera or Chinese tallow have finally started to split!! The bright green at the beginning (4th photo) is beautiful, but their change from the green to black (3rd), preparing to crack, then showing pure white seeds is breathtaking, isn't it! The leaves of Chinese tallow also change color beautifully.

Triadica sebifera 南京櫨

Chinese tallow ナンキンハゼ

Cerasus Subhirtella (October Cherry)　十月桜

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These cherry trees have finally started to bloom. They're Cerasus subhirtella or more commonly October cherry, which flower in not only spring but in mid-autumn to winter as the name suggests. October cherry blossoms are not as gorgeous as others, but I love these small pinkish white blossoms because of their quiet beauty. If you're interested in cherry blossoms in Japan, read the following posts:

Cerasus subhirtella 十月桜

Ilex Rotunda (Kurogane Holly)　黒鉄黐（クロガネモチ）

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

These are fruits of Ilex rotunda or more commonly called the Kurogane holly tree. They've changed the color from green to orange, then to red beautifully since mid September. Autumn is underway...

10/16 Ilex rotunda 黒鉄黐

Salpichroa Origanifolia (Lily of the Valley Vine)　繁縷酸漿（ハコベホオズキ）

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

The flowers look like white enkianthus, but the leaf shape is different. I googled and found they're flowers of Salpichroa origanifolia or more commonly lilies of the valley vine. The white petals and something red protruding from them are so tiny and adorable, but despite such innocent looking, the plant is hated in Japan for its invasiveness.

Salpichroa origanifolia 繁縷酸漿

Lilies of the valley vine ハコベホオズキ

Clematis Terniflora (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 flowers of Clematis terniflora or more commonly known as sweet autumn clematis. They're so beautiful (especially when swaying in the breeze) but as other flowers disguising themselves, sweet autumn clematis is toxic to humans and animals and its one of the Japanese names is "horses don't eat (the plant)"😁!

Clematis terniflora 仙人草

Kyllinga Brevifolia (Kyllinga Weed)　姫莎草（ヒメクグ）

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

These are inflorescences of Kyllinga brevifolia or more commonly kyllinga weed. They're a weed, but because of their tininess (less than 1 cm in diameter) and spiky shape, adorable. I had to squat down to take these photos and that was a good exercise😁.

Kyllinga brevifolia 姫莎草

Kyllinga weed ヒメクグ

Passiflora Caerulea (Bluecrown Passionflower)　時計草（トケイソウ）

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

Tick tock, tick tock.... It's 10:15:40 a.m... It looks like a clock🕙, isn't it? This is Passiflora caerulea or more commonly bluecrown passionflower. I've wanted to see the flower closely so much for the last couple of years because the plant in my neighborhood has grown up to several meters tall with all the flowers high up a tree😞. Then, I found this bluecrown passionflower, seemingly with no support (last photo), which means that I was able to take close-up shots!! The flower, especially yellow green stamens and purple stigmas, is beautiful both from the above and from the side!!

In Japan, the bluecrown passionflower is called "clock plant" because of its appearance.

Passiflora caerulea 時計草

Bluecrown passionflower トケイソウ

Camellia Japonica (Japanese Camellia)　椿（ツバキ）

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

This is a fruit of Camellia japonica or more commonly known as Japanese camellia. It looks yummy (maybe because of the red color?) but is not edible and used to make oil for skin and hair in Japan.

Camellia japonica 椿

Platanus × Acerifolia (London Plane)　紅葉葉鈴懸の木（モミジハスズカケノキ）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Some plants produce beautiful flowers while others beautiful fruits and leaves. London plane trees are one of the latter. Their fruits are so cute and autumn leaves are beautiful. The London plane (Platanus × acerifolia) is a hybrid of oriental plane and American sycamore. Their beauty is appreciated by not only humans but stink bugs (last photo)😁!

In Japan, the London plane tree is called "maple leaf platanus," which describes exactly the leaf shape.

2022/10/8

2021/11/4

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Plants and Flowers in Tokyo & Japanese Culture by Kei Narujima　東京の草花＆つぶやき - なるじまけい