Antidesma japonicum

Antidesma japonicum is a shrub in the family Phyllanthaceae. It is found in Southeast Asia, China and Japan. It provides food and fuel. A. japonicum has two accepted varieties: the nominate variety, A. japonicum var. japonicum; and the robustius variety, A. japonicum var. robustius.

Antidesma japonicum

Least Concern  (IUCN 2.3)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Phyllanthaceae
Genus: Antidesma
Species:
A. japonicum
Binomial name
Antidesma japonicum
Siebold & Zucc., Abh. Math.-Phys. Cl. Königl. Bayer. Akad. Wiss. 4(3): 212 (1846)[2]
Synonyms
  • Antidesma acuminatissimum Quisumb. & Merr.[3]
  • A. acutisepalum Hayata
  • A. cambodianum Gagnep.
  • A. delicatulum Hutch.
  • A. filipes Hand.-Mazz.
  • A. gracillimum Gage
  • A. hiiranense Hayata
  • A. ambiguum Pax & K.Hoffmann)[4]
  • A. japonicum var. acutisepalum (Hayata) Hurusawa
  • A. japonicum var. densiflorum Hurusawa
  • A. neriifolium Pax & K. Hoffmann
  • A. pentandrum Merr. var. hiiranense (Hayata) Hurus.

Description

In China the nominate variety grows as shrub or small tree, some 2 to 8 m tall.[4] Its light olive to greyish-green leaves are elliptic, oblong-elliptic, oblong-lanceolate, even obovate, some 3.5-13 cm by 1.5-4.5 cm in size. The inflorescences grow terminally or axillary. The drupes are a laterally compressed ellipsoid shape, 5-6 by 4-6 mm in size. If flowers from April to August, and fruits from June to September. In Cambodia it is described as a winding shrub some 1-2 m tall.[5]

Antidesma japonicum var. robustius is endemic to eastern Thailand.[6] The most obvious difference with the nominate variety is that the midrib of the leaves is distinctly raised adaxially.[4] It occurs in the Dry Evergreen Forest formations of Pak Thong Chai District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, at about 350-500m.[7] It is given a Rare (Globally) status in Thailand.

Habitat

Growing in open forests in humid valleys of southern and eastern China, it occurs rarely in scrub on limestone, and is found at elevations of 300-1700m.[4] In Cambodia it occurs in secondary forest formations.[5]

Distribution

It is found in Peninsular Malaysia; Thailand; Myanmar; Tibet; Qinghai, Sichuan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan, Guangxi, Hainan, Guizhou and Yunnan in China; Japan, including Nansei-shoto; Taiwan; Luzon and Mindanao in Philippines; Vietnam; and Cambodia.[3][4][8]

Conservation

Populations are severely fragmented and there is a continuing decline of mature individuals.[1] However the very wide distribution of the tree, its large population, its seemingly not currently experiencing major threats while no significant future threats have been identified, means that IUCN assesses it as Least Concern.

Vernacular names

Uses

The fruit is edible and the stem and branches make excellent firewood.[5]

Amongst Kuy- and Khmer-speaking people living in the same villages in Stung Treng and Preah Vihear provinces of north-central Cambodia, the tree is used as source of medicine and food, and as a component in ritual/magical activities.[10]

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References
  1. "Antidesma japonicum". IUCN Red List. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  2. "Antidesma japonicum Siebold & Zucc., Abh. Math.-Phys. Cl. Königl. Bayer. Akad. Wiss. 4(3): 212 (1846)". International Plant Name Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  3. "Antidesma japonicum var. japonicum". Plants of the World Online (POWO). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Science. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  4. "9. Antidesma japonicum Siebold & Zuccarini, Abh. Math.-Phys. Cl. Königl. Bayer. Akad. Wiss. 4(3): 212. 1846". Flora of China. eFloras.org. 11: 210, 213. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  5. Dy Phon, Pauline (2000). Plants Used In Cambodia/Plantes utilisées au Cambodge. Phnom Penh: Imprimerie Olympic. p. 304.
  6. "Antidesma japonicum var. robustius". Plants of the World Online (POWO). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Science. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  7. Thawatchai Santisuk; & others (2006). Thailand Red Data: Plants (PDF). Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  8. "Taxon: Antidesma japonicum Siebold & Zucc". U.S. National Plant Germplasm System. USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2020. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN-Taxonomy). Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  9. "Chòi mòi Nhật". WikipediA tiếng Việt. wikipedia.org. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  10. Turreira Garcia, Nerea; Argyriou, Dimitrios; Chhang, Phourin; Srisanga, Prachaya; Theilade, Ida (2017). "Ethnobotanical knowledge of the Kuy and Khmer people in Prey Lang, Cambodia" (PDF). Cambodian Journal of Natural History. Centre for Biodiversity Conservation, Phnom Penh (1): 76–101. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
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