| Castanopsis sieboldii | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fagales |
| Family: | Fagaceae |
| Genus: | Castanopsis |
| Species: | C. sieboldii |
| Binomial name | |
| Castanopsis sieboldii | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
Castanopsis sieboldii is a species of flowering plant in the family Fagaceae . [2] [3] This evergreen tree is sometime referred to by the common names Itajii chinkapin or Itajii. It is native to Japan, including the Ryukyu Islands, and Korea. [2] [4] [5]
This is a climax species that is commonly found in the Japanese temperate rainforest. [6] Specimens are also present within the forest area of the Tokyo Imperial Palace.
Castanopsis sieboldii was once thought to be a subspecies of the similar Castanopsis cuspidata .
Plants and animals associated with this tree include:
- Mitrastemon yamamotoi , a non-photosynthetic plant that parasitizes Castanopsis sieboldii.
- Aspidistra elatior , the cast-iron plant, grows in the understorey.
- Acrocercops mantica , Chrysocercops castanopsidis , and Lymantria albescens [7] larvae of these Asian moths likely mine the leaves.
- Amantis nawai , a small praying mantis species native to Eastern Asia is known to live around C. sieboldii where it eats insects.
- Okinawa rail, a Japanese bird, lives among these trees.
