Oyster leaf

Oyster leaf or Beach Mertensia (Japanese name: Hamabenkeisō, scientific name: Mertensia maritima subsp. asiatica) is a coastal, creeping perennial plant belonging to the Mertensia genus within the Boraginaceae family. It is distributed from Japan through the Korean Peninsula to the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk.
Its English name, “Oyster leaf,” comes from the fact that it tastes like oysters when eaten.
Although it bears the name “Benkeisō” (Benkei Grass), it belongs to a different family (Boraginaceae).
Its stems grow to about 1 meter in length, creeping horizontally over gravelly surfaces while spreading widely to form large colonies.
Leaves have petioles about 9 cm long. The leaves are succulent, hairless, bluish-white, with rounded-oblong tips, entire margins, and are arranged alternately.
From July to August, it extends a scorpion-shaped inflorescence 5-10 cm long, bearing several pendulous, bell-shaped flowers about 1 cm in diameter with five shallow lobes. The buds are pink, turning blue-purple when open. Inside the corolla are five stamens and one style.
Fruit develops after flowering. It is used as food in Europe due to its oyster-like flavor. It is considered an endangered species.

Common Name: Oyster Leaf
Scientific Name: Mertensia maritima subsp. asiatica
Common Name: Oyster leaf
Distribution Range: Japan to the Korean Peninsula to the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk; Distribution in Japan: Hokkaido to Honshu; Habitat: Coastal gravel and sandy areas;
Stem Length: 1m; Growth Habit: Spreads widely by creeping horizontally over gravel;
Life Form: Coastal creeping perennial
Classification: Kingdom Plantae, Division Angiospermae, Class Magnoliopsida, Order Violales, Family Violaceae, Genus Mertensia, Species Mertensia maritima, Subspecies Mertensia maritima subsp. asiatica
Petiole length: 9 cm, Leaf texture: Succulent and glabrous, Leaf color: Bluish-white, Leaf shape: Long-elliptic with rounded apex, Leaf length: 3-9 cm, Leaf width: 2-6 cm,
Leaf margin: Entire, Leaf arrangement: Alternate,
Flowering period: July-August, Inflorescence type: Scorpion-shaped raceme, Inflorescence length: 5-10cm, Corolla shape: Bell-shaped with 5 shallow lobes, Corolla length: 1cm, Corolla diameter: 1cm,
Flower color: Pink (bud) → blue-purple (when open), Number of flowers per inflorescence: several, Number of stamens: 5, Number of styles: 1,
Fruit type: schizocarp,
Uses: Edible (Europe)
Note: Endangered species

■Related Page
Beach Mertensia (Mertensia maritima subsp. asiatica)

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