Four Species of Ericaceae, Newly Naturalized in Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

Four species of Ericaceae, viz. Kalmia angustifolia L., Rhododendron groenlandicum (Oeder) Kron & Judd, Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton and Chamaedaphne calyculata (L.) Moench, are found to be naturalized on a steep slope along a newly developed road in the cool-temperate zone in Tatsuno-cho, Nagano Pref., central Japan for the first time in June 2017. All the recorded species are native of Canada and the northeastern part of the United States, and are endemic to eastern North America except Chamaedaphne calyculata which has a circumpolar distribution. In this place some ferns are also known to be naturalized from northeastern North America.