A New Variety of Daphne kamtschatica (Thymelaeaceae) from Mt. Kirigishi, Central Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract

We discovered a new variety of Daphne kamtschatica Maxim., var. kirigishiensis N.Nitta & Ken Sato (Thymelaeaceae) at Mt. Kirigishi, central Hokkaido, Japan. This new variety is distinguished from var. kamtschatica by the absence of a long rhizome, the lack of a dormancy period in summer and shoot apex with a large number of leaves in summer. It grows in sunny places on talus slopes composed of limestone at a location 220 km west of the known locality of var. kamtschatica.