Oceanic Islands Plant Specimen Database, Herbarium, University of Tokyo (TI)
The oceanic islands south of Japan, such as the Bonin (Ogasawara) islands, Daito islands and Ryukyu islands have many endemic plant species or tropical plant species that do not occur in other areas of Japan. The Ogasawara islands and Daito-jima, especially, have a high degree of endemism, since they were never continuous with the Asian mainland nor with the main islands of Japan. Specimens collected by researchers from those areas and from the neighboring Nansei islands, the southern part of Kyusyu and other oceanic islands in the South Pacific (Micronesia) the Philippines and Southeast Asia are preserved in the several herbaria in Japan: Tokyo Metropolitan University (MAK), University of Tokyo (TI), Kagoshima University (KAG) and Ryukyu University (RYU). Since 2006, the herbarium staff in these universities have been databasing the plant specimens from oceanic islands. The project is supported by grants-in-aid for Trust Scientific Research for the years 2006 to 2010 from the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). Although the project is still underway, the herbarium of the University Museum, University of Tokyo (TI) opening its databases to the public, in part supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Publication of Scientific Research Results for the year 2009 from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).
The herbarium of the University Tokyo (TI) contains dried plant collections by Jinzo Matsumura, Takenoshin Nakai, Takashi Tuyama, Takashi Yamazaki and Hideaki Ohba through their floristic research in the Bonin Islands. The herbarium also includes type specimens for the publication of new species. The records to be presented online include data and images of specimens in the Angiosperm, the Gymnosperm and the Fern and its allies of the Bonin Islands.
Data on the specimens, not only to update identifications, but also label information, will be improved and/or updated along with databasing the specimens.
Last updated on 5 December 2011.
Please send correspondence to:
Akiko Shimizu, Assistant Curator of the Herbarium, TI.
email: akiko＊um.u-tokyo.ac.jp（change ＊ to @ when sending e-mail）
Copyright for the database belongs to the Herbarium, University Museum, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Tokyo 113-0033, JAPAN.
All rights reserved, other than the right to view the data and images through the Internet. The contents of the database, images in research publications or on the internet can be used for scientific research and/or educational purposes and for reports only, but only with an indication of the source of the data. In such cases, please credit the University Museum, University of Tokyo, and also indicate the date the information was obtained. Commercial use of the data and images is not allowed.