Page 30 - Растения Сахалинской области в легендах и мифах

Ligustrina japonica

(Maxim.) V. N. Vassil. (Syn. Syringa

reticulata (Blume) H. Hara)

Large shrub or small tree with smooth gray-brown stems. Leaves are simple, petiolate,
opposite. The leaf blades are broadly ovate or round-ovate, up to 8 cm long and 6 cm wide,
with a solid ciliate edge. Inflorescence is a leafless, densely flowered panicle up to 25 cm
long, pubescent along the axes. The flowers are white, fragrant, about 5 mm in diameter.
In Russia it is known only from the southern Kuril Islands (Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan).
Located on the northern border of the range. Outside of the Russian Federation it is known
in Japan.

The goddess Spring awakened the Sun and the rainbow Iris, mixed their

rays and began to shower them on the Earth. And immediately everywhere
— in meadows, glades, branches of trees - bright flowers appeared. But
soon, of all the colors of the rainbow, only purple and a few white rays of
the sun remained. She threw them onto the growing bushes. The branches
were immediately covered with bunches of blessed flowers. They covered
the bushes so magnificently that no leaves were even visible.

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