スミレの山　高尾山①　アオイスミレ Takao, the mountain of violets: No.1 Aoi Sumire

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高尾山は、知る人ぞ知るスミレの山。

日本では、約５０種のスミレの野生種(*1)が確認されていますが、高尾にはそのうち１８種が自生している(*2)と言われています。高尾山ならびにその周辺では、毎年３月上旬から５月下旬にかけて、あちこちで可憐なスミレの花々を観察することができます。

Mt. Takao is known as habitats for a wide variety of wild violet flowers (in Japanese, sumire, or “Sue-Mee-Ray”). In Japan, about 50 species of wild violets (*1) have been confirmed, and 18 of them are said to grow naturally in the Mt. Takao area(*2). Every year from the beginning of March to the end of May, you can find pretty violet flowers all over the place in Mt. Takao and its surroundings.

(Stealing and vandalizing wild plants in the areas designated under the Natural Parks Act are illegal and subject to a criminal charge.)
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山中の個体。大きな集団は作らず、一つひとつの個体は里山の個体と比べて大きい。高尾山３号路にて。
Those found in a mountain. They do not form a large cluster, and each one is larger than those in satoyama. On Nature Trail No.3.

アオイスミレは、スミレの中でも早咲きで、また、いろいろな場所で、長い期間観察できる種です。高尾では、裏高尾や南浅川などの里山のみならず、１号路や３号路などの山中も含め、広範囲で見つけることができます。
Aoi (“Ah-Oh-Ee”) Sumire (viola hondoensis) are one of the earliest blooming violets, and can be found in various places over the entire spring season. In Takao, they can be found not only on the cultivated land, or banks on a creek or forests near human habitation (referred to as “satoyama” in Japanese), like the Ura-Takao and Minami Asakawa areas, but also deep in mountains, such as Nature Trail Nos.1 and 3.

あまりにもあちこちで見つけられるのですが、場所によって色や形状、そして全体的な見かけがかなり違うので、同じアオイスミレだとは思えないかもしれません。
They can be found in so many places, but the color, shape, and overall appearance are so discrepant in different places that you might not even think they are the same Aoi Sumire.

名前の由来は、葉がフタバアオイの葉に似ていることから。花の側弁は完全に開かず、全体的にヨレヨレしており、色は薄紫から白に近いものまで様々なバリエーションがあります。
The origin of the name comes from their leaves; they resemble those of Futaba-aoi (Asarum caulescens). The petals of their flower are wrinkled, and the side petals do not open completely. The color varies from light purple to nearly pure white.

里山で大規模な集団を作っている個体。山中の個体に比べ一つひとつは小ぶりで、遠目にはスミレと気が付かないことも。小仏川遊歩道にて。
Those found in satoyama, in a large cluster. Compared to the ones in a mountain, each of them is smaller, and from a distance, you may not even notice them as violets. On the Kobotoke River Footpath.

山中の個体は比較的花が大きく、一株に一二個ほど咲いているだけで目立たないものが多いのですが、里山では直径が１mほどもある群落を作ります。このような群落の場合、花がとても小さいので遠目からはスミレの集団と気づくことができないほどです。
The ones that grow in deep mountains have relatively large flowers, and many of them are inconspicuous with only one or two blooms. The ones found in satoyama, however, form clusters with a diameter that can be as large as one meter or so. In the cluster, the flowers are so small that, from a distance, you may not recognize them as violets.

忍者みたい
Ninja-like looking

＊１
門田裕一,『日本の野生植物 ３』, (平凡社、2016), P.209
Yuichi Kadota, "Wild Flowers of Japan 3," (Heibonsha K.K. 2016), P.209

＊2
東京都　高尾山ビジターセンター
The Takao Visitor Center

スミレ三昧 – 東京都　高尾ビジターセンター