The flora of Japan comprises a large assemblage of plant species which can be found in

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 ...

, such as sakura, katsura,

momiji ''Acer palmatum'', commonly known as Japanese maple, palmate maple, or smooth Japanese maple (Japanese: ''irohamomiji'', , or ''momiji'', (栴), is a species of woody plant native to Japan, Korea, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. ...

and azalea. There are many species which are endemic to Japan.

Diversity

Japan has significant diversity in flora. Of approximately 5,600 total vascular plant species, almost 40% are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

. This richness is due to the significant variation in latitude and altitude across the country, a diversity of climatic conditions due to

monsoons A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscill ...

, and multiple geohistorical incidences of connections with the mainland.

Vegetation types

Japan consists of roughly 4 vegetation zones that are delineated by temperature and precipitation: the alpine region, subalpine region, summer-green broad-leaved forest region and evergreen broad-leaved forest region. Due to its substantial length of over 3,000 km from north to south and its mountain ranges that can exceed 3,000 meters, Japan's vegetation varies by latitude and by altitude. Evergreen forests tend to appear in the southern half of the Japanese mainland, with broad leaf forests, subalpine, and alpine appearing with increasing frequency to the north and near mountains.

Evergreen broad-leaved forest region

The evergreen forest zone can be found along the coasts of the southern half of Japan and is most common zone in the

Ryukyu Islands The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Taiwan: the Ōsumi, Tokara, Amami, Okinawa, and Sakishima Islands (further divided into the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands), with Yonaguni ...

Shikoku is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. It is long and between wide. It has a population of 3.8 million (, 3.1%). It is south of Honshu and northeast of Kyushu. Shikoku's ancient names include ''Iyo-no-futana-shima'' (), '' ...

and,

Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...

as well as parts of southwestern

Honshu , historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separ ...

with equal longitude. This region rises up to an elevation of 750 meters near Tokyo. At the coasts, the dominant forest canopy species are ''

Castanopsis cuspidata ''Castanopsis cuspidata'' (Japanese chinquapin; Japanese tsuburajii, 円椎) is a species of ''Castanopsis'' native to southern Japan and southern Korea. It is a medium-sized evergreen tree growing to 20–30 m tall, related to beech and oak. ...

'' and '' Machilus thunbergii''. Inland, trees belonging to the genus ''

Quercus An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably '' ...

'' are dominant. In lower layers, trees and shrub species include ''

Camellia japonica ''Camellia japonica'', known as common camellia, or Japanese camellia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Theaceae. There are thousands of cultivars of ''C. japonica'' in cultivation, with many colors and forms of flowers. In the U.S. ...

'', '' Neolitsea sericea'', ''

Aucuba japonica ''Aucuba japonica'', commonly called spotted laurel, Japanese laurel, Japanese aucuba or gold dust plant (U.S.), is a shrub () native to rich forest soils of moist valleys, thickets, by streams and near shaded moist rocks in China, Korea, and ...

'', and ''

Eurya japonica ''Eurya japonica'', known as East Asian eurya, is a 1–3.5 m tall shrub in the Pentaphylacaceae family found in eastern China, Korea, and Japan. It is used as an ornamental plant. In shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified ...

''. It is a characteristic of this zone that all these are

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...

species.

Summergreen broad-leaved forest region

These forests can be found in central Japan above 1,000 meters altitude and throughout parts of

Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...

at elevations between 700 and 1,600 meters. These forests are also called

Fagus crenata ''Fagus crenata'', known as the Siebold's beech, Japanese beech, or buna, is a deciduous tree of the beech genus, ''Fagus'', of the family Fagaceae. Distribution and habitat It is endemic to Japan, where it is widespread and often one of the do ...

forests due to the prevalence of this tree species. On the western side, common species include ''

Daphniphyllum macropodum ''Daphniphyllum macropodum'' is a shrub or small tree found in China, Japan and Korea. Like all species in the genus ''Daphniphyllum'', ''D. macropodum'' is dioecious, that is male and female flowers are borne on different plants. The timber is u ...

'', '' Cephalotaxus harringtonii'', and ''

''. On the eastern side facing the Pacific Ocean, important species include ''Ulmus japonica'', ''Arachniodes standishii '', and ''Laportea macrostachya''. This region has been particularly affected by human development and clearing of natural forests. Cleared lands tend to be replanted with '' Larix kaempferi'', ''Cryptomeria japonica '', and '' Chamaecyparis obtusa''.

Subalpine and alpine regions

In Honshu, from 1,600 to 2,500 meters, and Hokkaido at slightly lower altitudes, character species in the subalpine zone are ''

Vaccinium vitis-idaea ''Vaccinium vitis-idaea'', the lingonberry, partridgeberry, mountain cranberry or cowberry, is a small evergreen shrub in the heath family Ericaceae, that bears edible fruit. It is native to boreal forest and Arctic tundra throughout the Norther ...

'', ''

Vaccinium ovalifolium ''Vaccinium ovalifolium'' (commonly known as Alaska blueberry, early blueberry, oval-leaf bilberry, oval-leaf blueberry, and oval-leaf huckleberry) is a plant in the heath family having three varieties, all of which grow in northerly regions, inc ...

'', ''

Neottia cordata ''Neottia cordata'', the lesser twayblade or heartleaf twayblade, is an orchid of upland bogs and mires that rarely exceeds in height. It was formerly placed in the genus '' Listera'', but molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that ''Neot ...

'', ''

Coptis trifolia ''Coptis trifolia'', commonly known as the threeleaf goldthread or savoyane, is a perennial plant in the genus ''Coptis'', a member of the family Ranunculaceae. Distribution It is native to North America and Asia across the subarctic region ...

''. Distinguishing trees include '' Abies mariesii'', '' Larix kaempferi'', and '' Tsuga diversifolia''. Above 2500 meters, vegetation has to contend with significant snowfall and high winds. Genera that can survive in these conditions include ''Phyllodoce'' and '' Harrimanella''.

List

Cercidiphyllum ''Cercidiphyllum'' is a genus containing two species of plants, both commonly called katsura. They are the sole members of the monotypic family Cercidiphyllaceae. The genus is native to Japan and China and unrelated to ''Cercis'' (redbuds). Des ...

Japanese maple ''Acer palmatum'', commonly known as Japanese maple, palmate maple, or smooth Japanese maple (Japanese: ''irohamomiji'', , or ''momiji'', (栴), is a species of woody plant native to Japan, Korea, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russi ...

* Azalea * Chrysanthemum *

Reynoutria japonica ''Reynoutria japonica'', synonyms ''Fallopia japonica'' and ''Polygonum cuspidatum'', is a species of herbaceous perennial plant in the knotweed and buckwheat family Polygonaceae. Common names include Japanese knotweed and Asian knotweed. It is ...

* Japanese beech * Konara * Cherry blossom *

Pinus pumila ''Pinus pumila'', commonly known as the Siberian dwarf pine, dwarf Siberian pine, dwarf stone pine, Japanese stone pine, or creeping pine, is a tree in the family Pinaceae native to northeastern Asia and the Japanese isles. It shares the common ...

Hinoki cypress ''Chamaecyparis obtusa'' (Japanese cypress, hinoki cypress or hinoki; ja, 檜 or , ) is a species of cypress native to central Japan in East Asia, and widely cultivated in the temperate northern hemisphere for its high-quality timber and orna ...

Japanese red pine ''Pinus densiflora'', also called the Japanese red pine, the Japanese pine, or Korean red pine, is a species of pine tree native to East Asia. Distribution and habitat ''P. densiflora'' has a home range that includes Japan, the Korean Peninsula, ...

* sakaki evergreen * Japanese red cedar *

Pinus luchuensis ''Pinus luchuensis'', commonly called Luchu pine or Okinawa pine, is a species of conifer in the family Pinaceae endemic to, and locally abundant in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. It was once threatened by habitat loss in the wild, where it can ...

Cryptotaenia japonica ''Cryptotaenia japonica'', also called East Asian wildparsley, Japanese cryptotaenia, Japanese honewort, white chervil mitsuba, Japanese wild parsley, stone parsley, honeywort, san ip, trefoil, and san ye qin (from ) is a plant species native to ...

* Acer ginnala *

Wasabi Wasabi ( Japanese: , , or , ; ''Eutrema japonicum'' or ''Wasabia japonica'') or Japanese horseradish is a plant of the family Brassicaceae, which also includes horseradish and mustard in other genera. The plant is native to Japan and the Russi ...

Nandina ''Nandina domestica'' ( ) commonly known as nandina, heavenly bamboo or sacred bamboo, is a species of flowering plant in the family Berberidaceae, native to eastern Asia from the Himalayas to Japan. It is the only member of the monotypic genus ...

* Japanese holly *

Japanese iris The term "Japanese iris" encompasses three species of Irises cultivated in gardens or growing wild in Japan: ''hanashōbu'' (''Iris ensata''), ''kakitsubata'' ('' Iris laevigata'') and ''ayame'' (''Iris sanguinea''). Of these three species, ''I. ...

Juniperus procumbens ''Juniperus procumbens'' is a species of shrub in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to Japan. This low-growing evergreen conifer is closely related to the Chinese juniper, ''Juniperus chinensis'', and is sometimes treated as a variety of it ...

Pittosporum tobira ''Pittosporum tobira'' is a species of sweet-smelling flowering plant in the pittosporum family Pittosporaceae known by several common names, including Australian laurel, Japanese pittosporum, mock orange and Japanese cheesewood. It is native to ...

Hosta ''Hosta'' (, syn. ''Funkia'') is a genus of plants commonly known as hostas, plantain lilies and occasionally by the Japanese name gibōshi. Hostas are widely cultivated as shade-tolerant foliage plants. The genus is currently placed in the fa ...

Styrax japonicus , also known as the Japanese snowbell, is a species of flowering plant in the family (botany), family Styracaceae, native species, native to Korea, Japan, and Southern China. Growing to tall by broad, it is a graceful, spreading deciduous tree ...

Wisteria floribunda ''Wisteria floribunda'', common name , is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to Japan. Growing to , it is a woody, deciduous twining climber. It was first brought from Japan to the United States in the 1830s. Since then ...

Japanese black pine ''Pinus thunbergii'' (syn: ''Pinus thunbergiana''), also called black pine, Japanese black pine, and Japanese pine, is a pine tree native to coastal areas of Japan (Kyūshū, Shikoku and Honshū) and South Korea. It is called () in Korean, () ...

* Prunus × yedoensis * Pinus amamiana *

Acer japonicum ''Acer japonicum'', Fullmoon Maple, Downy Japanese-Maple ( ja, はうちは楓, translit=hauchiwakaede), is a species of maple native to Japan, on Honshū, Hokkaidō, Kyūshū (Nagasaki Prefecture), and also southern Korea.Kanagawa Prefecture ...

Sciadopitys ''Sciadopitys verticillata'', the or Japanese umbrella-pine, is a unique conifer endemic to Japan. It is the sole member of the family Sciadopityaceae and genus ''Sciadopitys'', a living fossil with no close relatives. The oldest fossils of ''S ...

Myoga Myoga, myoga ginger or Japanese ginger () is the species ''Zingiber mioga'' in the family Zingiberaceae. It is a deciduous herbaceous perennial native to Japan, China, and the southern part of Korea.Cole TCH, Nürnberger "Zingiber mioga and its ...

* Chamaecyparis pisifera * Gastrodia amamiana *

Juglans ailantifolia ''Juglans ailantifolia'' (synonyms ''J. cordiformis'' and ''J. sieboldiana'' and '' J. mandshurica'' var. ''sachalinensis''), the Japanese walnut ( ja, 鬼胡桃 ''oni-gurumi''), is a species of walnut native to Japan and Sakhalin. It is a deci ...

* Yomogi

Publications

The flora of Japan is extensively described in scientific publications such as : * Makino, T., 1940. Illustrated flora of Japan. Hokuryukan (with renewed editions in 1961 and 1996) * Ohwi, J., 1965. Flora of Japan (in English). A combined, much revised, and extended translation. Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. * Iwatsuki, K. (岩槻, 邦男), Boufford, D.E. & Ohba, H. (大場, 秀章), 1993-2020. Flora of Japan. Kodansha ** vol. 1 : Pteridophyta and Gymnospermae (1995) ** vol. 2a-c : Angiospermae, Dicotyledoneae, Archichlamydeae (1999-2006) ** vol. 3a-b : Angiospermae, Dicotyledoneae, Sympetalae (1993-1995) ** vol. 4a-b : Angiospermae, Monocotyledoneae (a 2020, b 2016) ** General index (2020) More over, here are some publications of interest about the japanese flora : Tomitarô Makino, who was lecturer of botany at the imperial university of Tokyo, published a large amount of contributions from 1901 to 1914 collectively called "Observations on the flora of Japan" (and before that some other under various names among which "''Plantæ Japonenses novæ vel minus cognitæ''") * Makino, T., 1901-1905. Observations on the Flora of Japan (Fascicula 1-5) * Makino, T., 1896-1914. Observations on the Flora of Japan. published within the botanical journal (in japanese : 植物学雑誌, romanized : "Shokubutsugaku Zasshi") edited by the Botanical Society of Japan

References

{{Asia in topic, Flora of

Diversity

Vegetation types

Evergreen broad-leaved forest region

Summergreen broad-leaved forest region

Subalpine and alpine regions

List

Publications

See also

References