Species information
Scientific name: Castanopsis sieboldii var. lutchuensis
Japanese name: イタジイ
Chinese name: 長果椎、長果錐
English name: Itajii chinkapin
Origin: Amami Oshima, Kikaijima, Tokunoshima, Okinoerabujima, Okinawajima, Iheyajima, Izenajima, Kerama Islands, Kumejima, Ishigaki, Iriomote, Yonaguni
Ecology and description
Found south of Amami Oshima, Itajii chinkapin is one of the varieties of Castanopsis sieboldii (var. lutchuensis) and one of the most dominant tree species in the forests of Yambaru, accounting for about 60–70% of their biomass. One reason is that after logging, new shoots readily sprout from the base of the trunk, so it recovers faster than other species. This has made it the dominant species in Yambaru forests that were once cleared for forestry.
In Yambaru, Itajii chinkapin flowers every February, and in bloom the whole tree turns golden, with a faint, pleasant fragrance. Its nuts form in the autumn of the following year. It is also one of the most important food sources for animals in Yambaru, such as the Ryukyu wild boar, Ryukyu long-furred rat and Okinawa rail.
Field photographs taken during our tours, with observation dates
