Erythronium japonicum,
a so-called spring ephemeral, inhabits deciduous forests in
mountainous regions, having one or two leaves with their mottled
pattern. At the beginning of spring, it carries a distinctive and
showy flower on the top of a long stalk, 20-30cm in length. As the
flower ends, it dies back, as all the other spring ephemerals do.
With the texture thick and soft, the leaves are long-oblong, 6-12cm
in length. The flower blooms facing downward, the perianth segments,
6 in number, are light red-purple, each lanceolate, 4-5cm in height,
their bases having dark purple patches at them, and bend backward.
Stamens are about half as long as perianth segments; the anthers,
dark purple, hang down, and pistil's style is somewhat cleft in
three. Bloom time: March-May. |