Japanese name: イノコヅチ（豕槌、牛膝） Scientific name:Achyranthes bidentata
[Overview]
A perennial 50–100 cm tall, found in shade such as under trees and in bamboo thickets.
The stem has 4 ridges, spreads sparse branches, and has swollen nodes.
Leaves are simple and opposite, oblong, thin, and entire.
Spikes 10–20 cm long at the branch tips densely bear small green flowers.
After flowering, the flowers point downward and lie tight against the axis.
The flowers have triangular, spiny bracts.
The fruit is a utricle 2.5 mm long, which is carried by animals and clothing by means of the spiny bracts.
[Uses]
The root is used medicinally.
[Notes]
The Japanese name is said to compare the swollen stem nodes to the knees of a wild boar.
