Rhododendron boninense | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Ericales |
Family: | Ericaceae |
Genus: | Rhododendron |
Species: | R. boninense
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Binomial name | |
Rhododendron boninense |
Rhododendron boninense (ムニンツツジ, Munin-tsutsuji) is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae that is endemic to the Bonin Islands of Tōkyō Metropolis, Japan.[1][2]
The species was first described by Japanese botanist Takenoshin Nakai in 1920.[1] The specific epithet relates to the type locality in the Bonin (Munin) Islands.[1]
Rhododendron boninense is an evergreen shrub that grows to a height of 2–3 metres (6 ft 7 in – 9 ft 10 in).[3][4] Its white flowers bloom in and around April.[4][5]
Rhododendron boninense is classed as Critically Endangered on the Ministry of the Environment Red List and has been designated a National Endangered Species under the 1992 Act on Conservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.[6][7][8] According to the Red Data Book Tokyo, it is threatened by competition with exotic plants and browsing by introduced goats.[5]