Leucosceptrum stellipilum

Flower name
Leucosceptrum stellipilum
Scientific name
Leucosceptrum stellipilum
Alias見返草, Leucosceptrum stellipilum, Mikaerisou, イトカケソウ
Place of originendemic to Japan
Place of floweringLow mountains, Sub-alpine
Flowering seasonSeptember, October

What is Leucosceptrum stellipilum

Leucosceptrum stellipilum or mikaerisou (Scientific name: Leucosceptrum stellipilum) is a small deciduous shrub endemic to Japan, belonging to the family Lamiaceae. The flowers of Lamiaceae are mostly grasses, but this one is unusually a tree. It grows naturally on the forest floor in the low mountains to mountains west of central Honshu. The underside of the leaf is densely covered with stellate hairs. The flower spikes bloom upward from the bottom. The flower spikes (inflorescences) grow from the tips of the stems in early autumn. Each bract contains two or three small flowers contained in a calyx. The calyx and corolla are tubular, the corolla being longer than the calyx and pale red in color. The calyx and corolla are cylindrical, and the corolla is longer than the calyx. The stamens and pistils are long and protruding. The stamens have dark reddish-purple threads and blue anthers. The pistil is also dark reddish purple and has two lobes.

Common name: Leucosceptrum stellipilum, Scientific name: Leucosceptrum stellipilum, Place of origin: Japan, Type of life: deciduous small shrub, Tree height: 0.5-1 m, Leaf inflorescence: opposite, Leaf shape: elliptic, Leaf blade length: 1.5 cm, leaf color: reddish brown. Leaf blade: elliptic; leaf blade length: 15 cm; leaf blade width: 10 cm; leaf margin: serrate; inflorescence length: 7-15 cm; corolla length: 0.8-1 cm; peduncle: tubular with a lip; stamens: 4; pistils: 1 with 2 lobes; flowering season: September-October; fruit type: branched; fruit color: yellowish brown.