''Chengiopanax sciadophylloides'' is a flowering tree in the family

Araliaceae The Araliaceae are a family of flowering plants composed of about 43 genera and around 1500 species consisting of primarily woody plants and some herbaceous plants. The morphology of Araliaceae varies widely, but it is predominantly distinguisha ...

native to Japan. Previously included in the genus '' Eleutherococcus'', it is distinguished from other members of that genus by not having spines or prickles and ITS sequence data confirmed the separation.

Chemistry

''Chengiopanax sciadophylloides'' has been found to be a specific hyperaccumulator of

manganese Manganese is a chemical element with the symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is a hard, brittle, silvery metal, often found in minerals in combination with iron. Manganese is a transition metal with a multifaceted array of industrial alloy u ...

even in soils not contaminated with excessive amounts of manganese. In wild plants manganese concentrations of up to of dried leaf have been analyzed. After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in March 2011 it was found that ''Chengiopanax sciadophylloides'' accumulated the radioactive isotope Caesium-137 to concentrations above the human consumption guideline of 100 becquerels per kilogram of fresh weight even as far away as Nagano and Iwate Prefectures. Analysis of leaves taken from ''Chengiopanax sciadophylloides'' in August and October 2013 from a forest northwest of the

Fukushima Dai-ichi The is a disabled nuclear power plant located on a site in the towns of Ōkuma, Fukushima, Ōkuma and Futaba, Fukushima, Futaba in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. The plant Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, suffered major damage from the 2011 ...

Nuclear Power Plant found a mean concentration of 28,100 becquerels per kilogram of dry weight, over three times those of other trees. They also accumulated the non-radioactive Caesium-133 more than other trees.

Uses

Known as ''koshiabura'' (コシアブラ), ''gonzetsu'' and ''gonzetsunoki'' in

Japanese cuisine Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan ( Japanese: ) is based on rice with miso soup and ot ...

, it is foraged in the wild in Spring for the young leaves as '' sansai'' ("mountain vegetables").* (government website PDF) Called the "queen of sansai". Often used in

tempura is a typical Japanese dish usually consisting of seafood, meat and vegetables that have been battered and deep fried. The dish was introduced by the Portuguese in Nagasaki through fritter-cooking techniques in the 16th century. The word '' ...

but popular in a range of dishes. The highest grade of buds is as small as a calligraphy brush and so named ''fude ha'' ("leaf of brush"). A decoction of the roots, tea of the root bark, and tea of the leaf were used in the

Niigata Prefecture is a prefecture in the Chūbu region of Honshu of Japan. Niigata Prefecture has a population of 2,227,496 (1 July 2019) and is the fifth-largest prefecture of Japan by geographic area at . Niigata Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture and N ...

as a folk remedy. A lacquer-like coating material called used to be made from the sap. The polyacetylenes in the plant sap were polymerised by sunlight to produce the hard resin varnish. Two other members of the Araliaceae, '' Dendropanax trifidus'' and '' Gamblea innovans'', may also have been sources for this lacquer in Japan. The lacquer was used to prevent corrosion of suits of armour and helmets, with related species providing a similar lacquer used in China during the T'ang dynasty and in Korea. The wood is used for general construction and for chopsticks. The wood is regarded as auspicious and is valued in the Sasano-Bori doll carving tradition in Yonezawa (along with the wood of the Pagoda Tree) for its strength and flexibility.

References

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q15546763 Araliaceae Leaf vegetables Flora of Japan Endemic flora of Japan