Image: Wikimedia Commons (See link for license)
Japanese Witch Hazel
Hamamelis japonica
マンサク
A deciduous shrub to small tree that is among the first to bloom in early spring with yellow flowers. The name derives from "manzu saku" meaning "the first to bloom." The petals are distinctively long and ribbon-shaped.
Identification Points
- ✓Four yellow ribbon-shaped (linear) petals, blooming in early spring
- ✓Leaves are slightly asymmetrical and rounded with wavy serrations
- ✓Fruit is a woody capsule that ejects seeds explosively
Habitat
Mountain forests, parks, and gardens
Season
February–March (flowers)
3D Specimen Model
Kyushu University, Shikano Lab (CC0)
View on Sketchfab→Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Growth form
Tree
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf shape
Linear
Flowering season
Spring
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Stipules
Present
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic
Phylogenetic Positionマンサク科 →
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Core eudicots > Saxifragales > Hamamelidaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene (approx. 70 million years ago)
Evolution Notes
Hamamelidaceae is positioned at a basal group of the core eudicots, belonging to an ancient lineage distinct from orders such as Brassicales.
View on evolution timeline →Sources & References
AI-generated, needs verification