In March and April the Japanese countryside comes to life as weeds appear along fields and streams, anywhere with soil. Some of these plants are known for medicinal properties, and some are gathered as food. Most are ignored or cut down.
This year I’m trying to learn the names of flowering weeds as they appear in nearby fields and along the Yasugawa riverbank in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. This photo gallery includes some of the flowers I’ve seen from the beginning of March until mid-April, 2018.
Veronica persica flowers (Persian speedwell, bird’s-eye speedwell, オオイヌノフグリ) in Hayashi, RItto City
Veronica persica flowers (Persian speedwell, bird’s-eye speedwell, オオイヌノフグリ) in Hayashi, RItto City
Henbit dead-nettle (Lamium amplexicaule, ホトケノザ) flowers in Hayashi, Ritto City
Henbit dead-nettle flowers (Lamium amplexicaule, ホトケノザ) in Takano, Ritto City
Rapeseed flowers (菜の花) in Deba, Ritto City
Ground gold course along Yasugawa in Deba, Ritto City
Stellaria media (chickweed, コハコベ), small white wildflowers forming ground cover in Hayashi, Ritto City
Stellaria media (chickweed, コハコベ), small white wildflowers forming ground cover in Hayashi, Ritto City
Arabidopsis thaliana (wall cress, mouse-ear cress, シロイヌナズナ), tiny white wildflowers forming ground cover in Hayashi, Ritto City. This species is a model organism in plant biology. https://cellfate.wordpress.com/arabidopsis-thaliana/ https://www.arabidopsis.org/
Capsella bursa-pastoris (shepherd’s-purse, ナズナ), tiny white flowers along the canal in Hayashi, Ritto City
Capsella bursa-pastoris (shepherd’s-purse, ナズナ) along the canal in Hayashi, Ritto City
Capsella bursa-pastoris (shepherd’s-purse, ナズナ) along the canal in Hayashi, Ritto City
Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale, セイヨウタンポポ) in Tsuji, Ritto City
Japanese dandelion flower head (Taraxacum japonicum, カンサイタンポポ, 関西蒲公英) in Tsuji, Ritto City
Japanese dandelion seed head (Taraxacum japonicum, カンサイタンポポ, 関西蒲公英) in Tsuji, Ritto City
White-flowering Japanese dandelion (Taraxacum albidum, 白花蒲公英、シロバナタンポポ) at Deba Nakagami Shrine in Ritto City
Youngia japonica (Oriental false hawksbeard, オニタビラコ) in Takano, Ritto City
Sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus, ノゲシ) on the bank of the pond in Hayashi, Ritto City
Japanese mazus flowers (Mazus pumilus,トキワハゼ) in Hayashi, Ritto City
Nuttallanthus canadensis flowers (blue toadflax, マツバウンラン) in Hayashi, Ritto City
![Cinquefoil flower (Potentilla hebiichigo, ヘビイチゴ [?]) in Hayashi, Ritto City](https://gpjp.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/20180331t155050_v1.jpg?w=164&h=123 "Cinquefoil flower (Potentilla hebiichigo, ヘビイチゴ [?])")
Cinquefoil flower (Potentilla hebiichigo, ヘビイチゴ [?]) in Hayashi, Ritto City
![White Japanese violets (Viola japonica f. albida, シロバナツクシコスミレ, 白花筑紫小菫 [?]) at Takano Park in Ritto City (滋賀県 栗東市 高野公園)](https://gpjp.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/20180408t113356-1_v1.jpg?w=413&h=310 "White Japanese violets (シロバナツクシコスミレ, 白花筑紫小菫)")
White Japanese violets (Viola japonica f. albida, シロバナツクシコスミレ, 白花筑紫小菫 [?]) at Takano Park in Ritto City (滋賀県 栗東市 高野公園)
Manchurian violets (Viola mandshurica, スミレ) in Deba, Ritto City
![Lesser trefoil [yellow suckling clover] (Trifolium dubium, コメツブツメクサ) at Takano Park in Ritto City (滋賀県 栗東市 高野公園)](https://gpjp.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/20180408t115358_v1.jpg?w=204&h=153 "Lesser trefoil [yellow suckling clover] (Trifolium dubium, コメツブツ")
Lesser trefoil [yellow suckling clover] (Trifolium dubium, コメツブツメクサ) at Takano Park in Ritto City (滋賀県 栗東市 高野公園)
Trigonotis peduncularis flowers (cucumber herb, キュウリグサ, 胡瓜草, タビラコ) in Hayashi, Ritto City,
Trigonotis peduncularis flowers (cucumber herb, キュウリグサ, 胡瓜草, タビラコ) in Hayashi, Ritto City,
Daisy fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus, Philadelphia fleabane, ハルジオン) in Hayashi, Ritto City
White clover flowers (Trifolium repens, シロツメクサ) in Tsuji, Ritto City
Valerianella locusta flowers (corn salad, ノジシャ, 野萵苣) along Yasugawa in Deba, Ritto City
Valerianella locusta flowers (corn salad, ノジシャ, 野萵苣) along Yasugawa in Deba, Ritto City
Valerianella locusta flowers (corn salad, ノジシャ, 野萵苣) along Yasugawa in Deba, Ritto City
Many of the flowers are tiny! Most of these photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mk. II camera and a 60mm f/2.8 macro lens, which I showed on Twitter.
