Rhododendron boninense explained

is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae that is endemic to the Bonin Islands of Tōkyō Metropolis, Japan.^{[1] [2]}

Taxonomy

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]

Description

Rhododendron boninense is an evergreen shrub that grows to a height of 2-.^{[3] [4]} Its white flowers bloom in and around April.^{[4] [5]}

Conservation status

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]

See also

• Vaccinium boninense

Notes and References

1. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41602896 . ja:小笠原ノつつじ . A rhododendron from Ogasawara . ja . . . 0006-808X . 1920 . 34 . 408 . 324.
2. Book: ja:日本の固有植物 . Endemic Plants of Japan . ja . Katō, M. .

   ja:加藤雅啓

   . Ebihara, A. .

   ja:海老原淳

   . March 2011 . . 978-4-486-01897-1 . 106, 247, 340.
3. Book: ja:小笠原植物図譜 . Flora of Bonin Islands . ja . Toyoda, Takeshi 豊田武司 . Aboc . 4-900358-56-8 . 2003 . 174, 176.
4. Book: ja:小笠原諸島固有植物ガイド . The Endemic Plants of the Bonin Islands . ja . Toyoda, Takeshi 豊田武司 . Woods Press . 978-4-907029-03-6 . 2014 . 75, 250–252.
5. Web site: https://tokyo-rdb.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/index.php . ja:ムニンツツジ，オガサワラツツジ . Rhododendron boninense . ja . . 11 May 2022.
6. Web site: https://ikilog.biodic.go.jp/rdbdata/files/redlist2020/redlist2020_ikansoku.csv . ja:維管束植物 . Vascular Plants . ja . . 27 March 2020 . 11 May 2022.
7. Web site: https://www.env.go.jp/nature/kisho/domestic/list.html . ja:国内希少野生動植物種一覧 . List of National Endangered Species . ja . . 24 January 2022 . 11 May 2022.
8. Book: ja:レッドデータブック2014 —日本の絶滅のおそれのある野生生物— 8 植物I（維管束植物）. Red Data Book 2014 — Threatened Wildlife of Japan — Volume 8, Vascular Plants . ja . . Gyōsei Corporation . 2015 . 978-4-324-09902-5 . 99.