Two endangered species flower inconspicuously up in the northern mountain area

Two endangered species flower inconspicuously up in the northern mountain area

Kobanomiyamano Botan displays its flowers inconspicuously up in the mountains of the northern area of Okinawa’s main island.


July 20, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

Nago City resident Toshiko Miyagi recently confirmed that the endangered species Kashinokiran or Gastrochilus japonicus, which is on the vulnerable (VU) category II Red List of the Ministry of the Environment and the Okinawa Prefectural Government, and Kobanomiyama botan or Bredia Okinawensis (vulnerable species of the same Red List) were in both bloom in the northern mountain area of the main island of Okinawa.

In recent years, these precious flowers have been depleted through over picking and development. They are now showing their pretty form quietly in the mountains of the Yanbaru.

Because it grows on the trunk of tall trees, Kashinokiran is rarely seen by the human eye. Its flower is also small – less than one centimeter in size.

Kashinokiran’s lovely little flowers are pleasing to the eye of people in the mountains of the northern area of the main island.


Kobanomiyamano botan is a shrub of no more than one meter in height, which has flowers just a few centimeters across. It is endemic in the northern area of Okinawa’s main island. Dam construction has caused some parts of its habitat to disappear under water.

(English Translation by T&CT, Mark Ealey)

Go To Japanese


 


Previous Article:
Next Article:

[Similar Articles]