Japanese name: イヌコモチナデシコ（犬子持撫子） Scientific name:Petrorhagia dubia
[Overview]
A biennial 25–60 cm tall, found along roadsides, on wasteland and on riverbanks.
The stem branches well from the base and is usually densely covered with glandular hairs.
The leaves are simple and opposite, linear, 1–6 cm long.
The leaf bases fuse and clasp the stem, and the sheath is about 2–3 times as long as it is wide.
A spherical inflorescence about 2 cm across is borne at the stem tip.
The inflorescence is enclosed by overlapping membranous involucral bracts, and the flowers peek out from between them.
The flowers are pale pink and 5-petaled, with the petal tips shallowly 2-lobed.
The fruit is a capsule, which splits into 4 at the top when ripe.
The seeds are pear-shaped, with conical projections on the back.
[History]
A specimen was collected in Kitakyushu in 1960 and was at first published under the scientific name Petrorhagia nanteuilii, but its characteristics did not match the true Petrorhagia nanteuilii, so the name was changed to Petrorhagia dubia.
The name Michibata-nadeshiko was given to Petrorhagia nanteuilii.
