Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 20, 2026

Epigaea asiatica

Epigaea asiatica is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae. It is endemic to Japan. It has pale pink flowers, and seeds that are dispersed by ants.

Last revised
Jul 20, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
212 w
Citations
4
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Epigaea asiatica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Epigaea
Species:
E. asiatica
Binomial name
Epigaea asiatica
Synonyms1
Homotypic Synonyms
  • Parapyrola asiatica (Maxim.) Kvaratskh.
Heterotypic Synonyms
  • Parapyrola trichocarpa Miq.

Epigaea asiatica is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae.12 It is endemic to Japan. It has pale pink flowers, and seeds that are dispersed by ants.3

Description

Epigaea asiatica is an evergreen shrub up to 0.1 m (0 ft 4 in) by 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in). It is hardy to zone (UK) 4. It is leafy all year round, in flower from April to May. The species is hermaphrodite (has male and female organs).

Uses

The fruits of Epigaea asiatica, called iwanashi (katakana: イワナシ; kanji: 岩梨), which are harvested from the wild, are used in seasonal dishes in some parts of Japan.

  • Fruits
    Fruits
  • Plants
    Plants
  • Flowers
    Flowers
References

References

  1. "Epigaea asiatica Maxim". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  2. "Epigaea asiatica Maxim". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  3. "Seed dispersal of Epigaea asiatica (Ericaceae) by ants" (PDF).
External links