Page 15 - Растения Сахалинской области в легендах и мифах

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Eutrema japonicum

(Eutrema japonicum (Miq.) Koidz.)

Perennial herb with an ascending stem 20–25 cm high and thick roots, up to 1.5
cm in diameter. Petiolate leaves with rounded-reniform, wavy-crenate leaf blade
along the edge, 2–7 cm long, 4–7 cm wide. The flowers are large, collected in a
simple multi-flowered raceme. The fruit is a broad-linear tuberous pod 10–20 mm
long and 1.5–2.5 mm wide.
Grows on the northern border of the range. Only one locality is reliably known
in the Uglegorsk District (near the mouth of the Belkin River). On the territory of
Russia, it was previously known only from the herbarium collections of Japanese
botanists from the western coast of the south of Sakhalin Island (Anivsky and
Nevelsky districts) and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Native to Kunashir Island. Outside of
the Russian Federation it grows in Japan and on the Korea Peninsula, where it is
also cultivated. The plant is commonly known by the name «wasabi» — japanese
mustard.

Once upon a time there was a farmer. One day, while walking in
the mountains, he discovered a strange plant. After tasting its root,

the farmer realized that it was an incredible find. He was cunning and
immediately decided to bring the plant as a gift to the shogun himself in
order to please him. And he made the right decision. The shogun liked
the taste so much that he ordered the root to be spread throughout the
country, and it became popular all over Japan.

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