''Epigaea asiatica'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of ''

Epigaea ''Epigaea'' is a small genus of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae. The species are small creeping shrubs that are typically anywhere from tall at full growth, forming large patches. The leaves are evergreen, alternate and simple, ranging a ...

'' from

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. Seeds are dispersed by ants.

Description

Epigaea asiatica is an evergreen shrub up to 0.1 m (0 ft 4 in) by 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in). It is hardy to zone (UK) 4. It is leafy all year round, in flower from April to May. The species is hermaphrodite (has male and female organs). File:Epigaea asiatica (fruits s3).JPG , Fruits File:Epigaea asiatica 3.JPG , Plants File:Epigaea asiatica (flower s2).JPG , Flowers

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q11287286 asiatica