loose-flowered hornbeam; Carpinus laxiflora
A species of hornbeam native to Japan and East Asia. The name is usually written in kana.
The loose-flowered hornbeam is a deciduous tree native to the mountains of Japan.
Katakana spelling is common for plant names; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling; rarely used in practice.
Alternate kanji spelling; rarely used.
The name likely derives from 赤 (aka, 'red') and 四手 (shide, a type of hornbeam or zigzag-patterned paper used in Shinto rituals), referring to the reddish young leaves or the appearance of the fruiting catkins. The exact derivation is uncertain.