Flora & Fauna of Korea #49

Korea.net publishes a series of articles, “Nature You Meet in the Mountains,” about the peninsula’s mushrooms, insects, trees and herbs & flowers.


Insects

Name: 알노린재 Alnorinjae
Scientific name: Coptosoma bifarium Montandon
Distribution: Korea, China

This stinkbug is about 3.5 to 4.5 millimeters long. The back is a glossy jet-black. The head is black and tiny, yet slender dots are found around it. The antenna are brown-black. The shape of the head can be a little different depending, on the sexes. Both of the back of the anterior thorax and the mesoscutum are a glossy jet-black with tiny black dots scattered around. Both sides of the anterior thorax is yellow. The small mesoscutum covers the whole abdomen. A crescent-shaped mark is found at the basal, while tiny yellow patterns are found on each side.

Adults appear between June and September. It inhabits leguminous plants growing in clusters.




Trees

Name: 생강나무 (동백나무), Saenggangnamu
Scientific name: Lindera obtusiloba Blume
Type: deciduous broadleaf shrub
Blooming season: March to May
Bearing season: September to October
Distribution: mountains nationwide

This mountainous tree grows to about 3-meters tall. The bark is a grayish black while the smaller branches are a yellowish-green. The leaves are alternating, oval-shaped, obtuse and cordate or rounded. The upper part of the leaves is separated into three to five pieces, while small hairs develop along the edge. This dioecious tree gives bloom to yellow flowers before the leaves form. It bears black, round cones.



Mushroom

Name: 적갈색애주름버섯 Reddish Brown Pleats Mushroom
Scientific name: Mycena haematopus (Pers.) P. Kumm.
Type: saprophile spore
Print: white
Inedible

This mushroom grows in clusters from stumps and branches of rotten broadleaf trees. The cap is about 1 to 3.5 centimeters in diameter. The shape varies from a cone to a bell. The surface is purple to reddish brown and radical patterns are found on the cap. A sawtooth edge develops along the rim. The pleats are closely arranged and are white at first and gradually turn reddish brown. The stipe is about 2 to 13 centimeters long and 1.5 and 3 millimeters around. It is similar in color to the cap. A reddish liquid flows out when it's cut.





Herbs & Flowers

Name: 미나리냉이, Minari Naengi
Scientific name: Cardamine leucantha (Tausch) O.E.Schulz
Blooming season: May to July
Bearing season: August to September
Distribution: mountains nationwide

This perennial herb grows to about 50 centimeters in the shade near water. Soft hairs cover the whole body. The subterranean stem stretches across a wide area underground. The leaves are alternating, pinnately compound with five to seven smaller leaves growing from each branch. A sawtooth edge develops randomly along the rim. It has relatively longer stipes. It gives bloom to white flowers from the raceme at the tip of branches or stems. It also bears silique.

*This series of article about Korea’s insects, trees, mushrooms and herbs & flowers has been made possible through the cooperation of the Korea National Arboretum.