noun
dogtooth violet; Erythronium japonicum
A spring-blooming woodland perennial native to Japan, known for its nodding pinkish-purple flowers. The starch from its bulb is used to make katakuriko (potato starch), though modern katakuriko is usually made from potatoes.
春になると、山でカタクリの花が咲きます。
In spring, dogtooth violets bloom in the mountains.
カタクリの群生地は観光名所になっている。
The colony of dogtooth violets has become a tourist attraction.
Katakuriko originally referred to starch made from the dogtooth violet bulb, but today it almost always means potato starch. The plant name カタクリ is the source of the starch name.
The name likely derives from the shape of the leaf resembling a half chestnut (片栗), but the exact origin is uncertain.