Hōshusunago

Tuyama, 1968, Camellias of Japan, pl.394, p.200, descrip­tion, p.206: Leaves broadly elliptic, shortly acuminate, green to dark green, crenate, 6.1-8.9 cm long x 3.5-5.1 cm wide; petioles 4-8 mm long, smooth. Flowers complete, formal double of palest pink (Rose-pink 427/2), minutely striped and dotted rosy red (Rose Opal 022/1), petals 62- 78, the inner ones remaining in a tight, spherical, bud centre, rarely unfolding; stamens 30­-40, filaments white. Flowers early to mid-season. Originated in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. Translation: ‘Hōshu’ is an abbreviation for “Gibōshu’, a traditional ovoid shape used in Japanese architecture while “Sunago” refers to sand. The first refers to the bud centre, the sec­ond to the finely spotted petals. Different reading: Hōjusunago’.

淡交社.1989年. 《日本の椿花》.ｐ.398　. 石川產. [花]淡桃地に紅色の吹っ掛け絞りが入る宝珠咲き、中～大輪、3～4月。柔らかく内曲した外弁は、花の中心に固く締まった宝珠を抱えて、一枚ずつ外して進む。花芯の大きい宝珠が魅力的な品種[葉]葉は楕円形中型。[樹]立性で強健。　　[来歴]　　　。　　文/横山・写真/桐野