エノキの実

公園や道路脇の榎が葉を散らしています。エノキの黄葉は黄色。場所によっては銀杏と見まごうほどの鮮やかな黄色を見せます。まだ実が付いている枝もかなりあり、これからの季節野鳥たちの大切な食料源となります。野鳥ばかりでなく、チョウたちも、テングチョウ、オオムラサキ、ゴマダラチョウなど、榎の葉を食樹としているものが多く、その他の虫たちも榎に依存するものは数多あり、樹木の中でももっとも気前よくその身を捧げてくれる樹木だと思います。私の出身大学にも榎の大木があり、大切にされてきました。京都市内にも古来から歴史を見つめ続けてきた榎が数多くあります。

Enoki trees in parks and by roadsides are shedding their leaves. The falling leaves of the enoki trees are yellowish in color. In some places, the color is so bright that it can be mistaken for gingko leaves. Most of the branches are with fruits on them, which will be an important source of food for wild birds in the coming season. Not only wild birds, but also many butterflies, such as the Tenguchou (Libythea celtis), Oomurasaki (Sasakia charonda), and Gomadarachou (Hestina persimilis japonica) butterflies, depend on the leaves of the enoki tree as their food source. Many other insects also depend on this tree, making it the most generous of all trees. The university where I graduated from also has a large enoki tree that has been carefully cared for. There are also many enoki trees in Kyoto City that have been witnessing the long and turbulent history of this town.

*****

Photo 2011-11-25