先日訪れた京北町の林間の池の畔にはウメモドキの実がきれいに実っていました。バラ科のウメと葉や花が似ていることからウメの名が付いていますが、モチノキ科の植物ですので、モドキな訳です。他のモチノキ科の植物と同様に雌雄異株で、モチノキ科にしては珍しい落葉樹です。雄株はあってもなかなか気づかないのですが、雌株は秋の赤い実が実にきれいで、特に静かな山の中では、目にしみるような赤色が目を引きます。
The other day I visited a wooded pond in Keihoku Town, there were beautiful Umemodoki (literally, pseudo-plum) trees. In English this tree is called Japanese winterberry. The name "plum" is derived from the similarity of the leaves and flowers to those of the plum tree, which belong to the rose family. In fact, this tree belongs to the genus Ilex. It is dioecious and not like the other plants in the family. The red berries of the female plant are really beautiful in autumn, especially in the quiet mountains, and the stinging red color attracts attention.
*****
Photo 2021-12-10
