Page 10 - Растения Сахалинской области в легендах и мифах

Astilbe thunbergii

(Astilbe thunbergii (Siebold et Zucc.) Miq.)

Perennial herb up to 80 cm tall. Basal
leaves, 3-4 in number, up to 10 cm long and

5 cm wide, long-pointed at the top, sharp-
toothed along the edge. The inflorescence
is paniculate, broad-copyramidal, weakly
branched, up to 25 cm long. Flowers are 3.5
mm in diameter, white or pinkish.
In Russia it is located on the northern
border of the area. It is known from a few

localities only in the southern and northern
parts of Kunashir Island. Outside of Russia
it is found in Japan.

At the very edge of the earth, in a small village lost in the woods,
lived a young man. For many years, his family was engaged in the
procurement of medicinal plants. Gradually, their reserves in the

surrounding forests became scarce. The young man decided to explore
new places, and before leaving he went to say goodbye to his bride.
Upon learning that he was leaving for distant forests, the girl took
out a bag of small seeds from the house and asked that her beloved
would throw them on the ground from time to time on the way.

The young man was surprised, but promised to do so. He wandered
through the woods for a long time, and when it came time to return
home, he found that he had lost his way. He turned back and suddenly
saw an unfamiliar plant with brooms of flowers that stood out as a
bright spot in the darkness of the forest. The young man came closer
and saw another flower of the same kind not far away, and another one

farther away. So, moving from one plant to another, he found his way
home.

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