SafePlants

*Alnus trabeculosa*

*Alnus trabeculosa*, commonly known as Jiang Nan Qi Mu (in Chinese) and sakura-ba han-no-ki (in Japanese), is a species of alder.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: *Alnus trabeculosa* Hand.-Mazz.
• Family: Betulaceae (alder, birch family)
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Class: Magnoliopsida
• Superorder: Rosanae
• Order: Fagales
• Synonyms:
  • *Alnus jackii* Hu
  • *Alnus nagurae* Inokuma
  • *Alnus trabeculosa* var. *nagurae* (Inokuma) Murai
  • *Alnus trabeculosa* var. *hunanensis*
• Species Authority: Hand.-Mazz. (Handel-Mazzetti)

Distribution and Habitat

*Alnus trabeculosa* is native to:

• China: Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Zhejiang
• Japan: Honshu, Iwate Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture

Ecological Role

• *Alnus trabeculosa* is a rhizobia-nodulating tree. This means it forms a symbiotic relationship with rhizobia bacteria in its roots, which allows it to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere.
• It has been introduced into the Chongxi tidal wetland in the Yangtze River estuary of China to increase biodiversity.

Morphological Characteristics

• *Alnus trabeculosa* is a deciduous tree that can grow up to 10 meters tall.
• It has gray or greyish-brown bark that is smooth.
• Young branches are pubescent (covered in fine hairs).
• Leaves are dark green and leathery, born on reddish petioles.
• Leaves are obovate oblong, oblanceolate oblong or oblong.

Conservation Status

• *Alnus trabeculosa* was ranked as "near threatened" in 1997, suggesting it is a species of conservation concern.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• *Alnus trabeculosa* is associated with actinobacteria belonging to the *Frankia alni* complex.

Further Information

• RHS (Royal Horticultural Society): Provides help and information on *Alnus trabeculosa*.
• Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.
• B and T World Seeds' database output.
• Encyclopedia of Life.
• Asianflora - Plant photos.