Damnacanthus indicus var. microphyllus
Rubiaceae
- Range
- Mainland Japan(Kii Peninsula), Shikoku, Kyushu, and the Ryukyu Islands(north of Tokunoshima)
In the diorama, it extends its leaves while bearing numerous thorns on its branches.
This evergreen shrub grows to about knee height and is widely found in the forests of Tokunoshima. As suggested by the prefix "Hime" in its Japanese name, meaning "small," it is much smaller than its nominotypical variety, with leaves measuring less than 1 cm in length. Its notable thorns, which emerge from the branches, can cause a pin-pricking pain as you walk through the forests.
Habitat of This Animal:
A:Forest along the valley - A3:Deep forest
Along the mountain valleys grows a high humidity forest. In such an environment, Quercus miyagii, a species of oak often grows in clusters. Some of these grow more than 20m tall and with trunk diameters exceeding 1m, with largely developed buttress roots. Also, there are many animals and plants preferring humid environments, supporting the abundant biota of Tokunoshima Island together with the forest along mountain ridges.
This A3:Deep forest