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Burning Bush
Euonymus alatus
ニシキギ
A deciduous shrub native to mountains throughout Japan. Its most distinctive feature is the corky, wing-like ridges on the branches. Named 'Nishikigi' ('brocade tree') for its exceptionally vivid red autumn foliage, it is highly popular as a garden plant.
Identification Points
- ✓Branches bear flat, corky wing-like ridges
- ✓Brilliant red autumn foliage
- ✓Fruits ripen red with orange arils
Habitat
Mountain forest edges, secondary forests, and gardens (cultivated)
Season
October–November (fall foliage); May–June (flowers)
Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Growth form
Shrub
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Habitat
Mountain
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Pinnate
Petal count
4 petals
Petal fusion
Fused
Leaf dissection
Undivided
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic
Stamen count
1-2
Phylogenetic Positionニシキギ科 →
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Core eudicots > Celastrales > Celastraceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene (about 80–70 million years ago)
Evolution Notes
Celastraceae has developed the distinctive corky wing structure. Its function, possibly for structural support or moisture retention, is not fully understood from an evolutionary perspective.
View on evolution timeline →Sources & References
AI-generated, needs verification