Japanese name: シコクギボウシ（四国擬宝珠） Scientific name:Hosta shikokiana
[Overview]
A perennial growing on rocky ground, reaching about 15–40 cm in height.
The leaves form a rosette and are erect or spreading; they are ovate, 5–20 cm long and 2–8 cm wide, slightly glossy, with narrow spaces between the veins.
The veins on the underside of the leaf have small protrusions.
The petiole is 2–10 cm long and has purple spots at the base.
The leaf base does not run down along the petiole.
The flower stalk rises obliquely, has purple spots, and has a smooth surface.
The flowers are borne in a raceme, with a bract at the base.
The bract is ovate-lanceolate and boat-shaped, 15–25 mm long, and at flowering it loses its firmness and becomes tinged with purple.
The corolla is broadly tubular and purple to pale purple, with 6 tepals 44–53 mm long. Dark purple veins on the inside of the tepals, and the transparent lines are short and found only in the broad tubular part.
Each flower opens in the morning and wilts in the evening, lasting one day.
