Akebia
| Akebia | |
|---|---|
| |
| Akebia quinata | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Lardizabalaceae |
| Genus: | Akebia Decne.[1] |
| Species | |
|
See text. | |
Akebia is a genus of five species of flowering plant, within the family Lardizabalaceae. The scientific name, akebia, is a Latinization of the Japanese name for species Akebia quinata: akebi (通草).
Species
| Flower | Name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akebia apetala (Quan Xia, J.Z.Sun & Z.X.Peng) Christenh. | China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan | ||
| Akebia chingshuiensis T. Shimizu | Taiwan | ||
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Akebia longeracemosa Matsumura | China and Taiwan | |
 |
Akebia quinata (Houttuyn) Decaisne | Chocolate vine or five-leaf akebia | China, Korea and Japan |
 |
Akebia trifoliata (Thunberg) Koidzumi | Three-leaf akebia | China, Korea and Japan |
Hybrids
- Akebia ×pentaphylla (Makino) Makino (A. quinata × A. trifoliata)
Fruit
Akebia quinata and Akebia trifoliata both bear edible fruit, containing a sweet white flesh.[3] Flavor varies greatly in akebias, even within the same species, with some individuals displaying a complex flavor profile resembling a mixture of banana, passionfruit and lychee, with others being mild, or even insipid.[4]
Akebia in Japan
Akebia is often mentioned in Japanese literature, where it is evocative of pastoral settings.[5] Although the akebi commonly refers to the five-leafed species, the three-leafed species is used in much the same way for novelty food, medicine, and for vine material.
While only a minor food eaten while foraging in the past, akebia is considered a specialty crop today, only available when in season. The pods contain a white, semi-translucent gelatinous pulp that is mildly sweet and full of seeds.[6] The taste is described as sweet but rather "insipid".[6] Some people recollect in idyllic terms how they foraged for it in the hills as children.[7]
The purple-colored, slightly bitter rind has been used as a vegetable in Yamagata Prefecture[7][8] or in those northern areas, where the typical recipe calls for stuffing the rind with minced chicken (or pork) flavored with miso.[8] Minor quantities of akebia are shipped to the urban market as a novelty vegetable.
In addition to consuming the fruit, akebia leaves are also made into a tea infusion.[5] Outside of food and drinks, akebia vines are used for basket-weaving crafts. An old source lists Minakuchi, Shiga and Tsugaru (now Aomori Prefecture) as localities that produced baskets from the vines of trifoliate variety.[9]
Gallery
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Ripe Akebia trifoliata fruit -
Akebia quinata leaves and flowers -
Female flowers of Akebia quinata (large) and male (small) -
Early fruit of Akebia quinata -
Akebia quinata flower -
Early fruit of Akebia quinata
References
- ^ a b "Akebia Decne". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2020-10-10.
- ^ "Akebia". Flora of China. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
- ^ "Akebia quinata". PFAF.
- ^ "Akebia: A Potential New Fruit Crop in China". HortScience.
- ^ a b Davidson, Alan, and Tom Jaine. The Oxford companion to food. Oxford University Press, USA, 2006. 805. Print. Retrieved Aug. 09, 2010, from [1]
- ^ a b Sargent, Charles Sprague (March 25, 1891), "Plant Notes-The Fruit of Akebia quinata (With Figure.)" (google), Garden and Forest, 4 (161): 136
- ^ a b Nimura, Kazuo(二村一夫)r (2006-07-22). "食の自分史" [Self-history on food]. 『食の自分史』. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
- ^ a b Yamagata City Health Center (2011-01-31). "あけびの詰め物" [stuffed akebia]. Archived from the original on 19 October 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2017., photograph shows trifoliate variety (twig, fresh purple plant, and prepared dish)
- ^ Agricultural Society of Japan; Dai Nihon Nōkai(author alia) (1895). Useful plants of Japan: described and illustrated (google). Vol. 1. Agricultural Society of Japan. p. 92.
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Further reading
- Bailey, L. H. (2005). Manual of Gardening (Second ed.). Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.
External links
- Akebia: Three Varieties including photographs by Paghat's Garden
- Akebia: Edible Fruits including photographs by Paghat's Garden