Species in the genus Mitchella:

Mitchella undulata / Tsuruaridooshi

Mitchella undulata / Tsuruaridooshi ツルアリドオシ

Mitchella undulata is an evergreen perennial herb inhabiting forests in mountainous regions, with stems crawling on the ground to grow 10-40cm long and taking roots at nodes. Leaves are of opposite phyllotaxis, dark green and thick, without hairs, a 1-1.5cm-long oval to orbicular ovate, and somewhat wavy margins. Branch tips set two flowers side by side. Corollas are generally white, occasionally tinge relatively light red, measuring 1.5cm long, with tips typically cleft in four. The corollas have white hairs, and two ovaries beneath the floral tubes are coalescent. Sap fruit mature in red, 8mm in diameter; flower marks remain on their tops. Bloom time: June-July.