also: ぬかご
bulbil; propagule; brood bud
A small aerial tuber that forms on the stems or leaf axils of certain plants, especially the Japanese yam (Dioscorea japonica). Used in cooking and propagation.
I gathered yam bulbils and made takikomi gohan (seasoned mixed rice).
When bulbils fall to the ground, they sprout new shoots from there.
種芋 is a seed potato or tuber used for planting, whereas むかご is a naturally formed aerial bulbil that can also be used for propagation.
alpine bistort; Bistorta vivipara
Usually written in kana. The kanji form 零余子 is rare and may not be widely recognized.
Katakana spelling, sometimes used in botanical or culinary contexts.
Rare kanji spelling; the reading is a jukujikun (special kanji reading).
Alternate reading variant, also a jukujikun.
The origin is uncertain. The word is native Japanese, and the kanji 零余子 is a jukujikun (meaning-based reading) rather than a phonetic representation.