Japanese name: カラクサケマン（唐草華鬘） Scientific name:Fumaria officinalis
[Overview]
An annual or biennial found on vacant lots and roadsides.
The plant is soft and slightly whitish overall.
The stem grows 10–50 cm long, branches well, and rises loosely.
The stem has ridges.
The leaves are alternate, 3-times pinnately compound, with further divided segments.
Racemes at the branch tips bear 20–60 flowers.
The flowers are 0.7–0.9 cm long and pale reddish purple to reddish purple, with the petal tips slightly darker.
There are 4 petals, forming a tube with the tip slightly open.
The rear end of the upper petal has a sac-like spur.
There are 2 sepals, elliptic.
The fruit is a slightly flattened sphere.
[History]
It arrived in Japan at the end of the Meiji era.
[Uses]
The whole plant contains toxic components, but it is used medicinally.
