Tree of heaven
Ailanthus altissima (Miller) Swingle [Simaroubaceae]
Shinju or Niwa-urushi (シンジュ/ニワウルシ, 神樹/庭漆)
Life form: deciduous tree
Distribution: northeast and central China and Taiwan (extotic to Japan)
Habitat: moist and loamy soils (in native regions)
Seed dispersal: wind
Varieties
var. altissima: the type, native to China
var. sutchuenensis (Dode) Rehder et E. H. Wilson: having red branchlets
var. tanakae (Hayata) Kanehira et Sasaki: having yellowish bark, etc. (threatened in RDB) [often quated as tanakai]
Ailanthus altissima in Hokkaido
Most of them are transplanted.
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[1] Trees. [2] backside of a leaf. [1-2] At an artificial pond called as Ohon Pond near the Facutly of Engineer, HU, on July 14 2010. [3] a tree with numerous seeds. [4] close-up of fruits.[3-4] In the northern part of Hokkaido Universityt Campus on August 15 2011.
References
- HUSTEP: Plants and Plant communities in Japan
flora list - Nature in the eco-campus of HU - introduction to botany (北大エコキャンパスの自然 - 植物学入門)