Japanese name: ガンコウラン（岩高蘭） Scientific name:Empetrum nigrum var. japonicum
[Overview]
An evergreen small shrub distributed in the subalpine zone, found at the edges of Haimatsu zone forests, on windy ridges, in barren ground near summits, and in high moors.
It forms colonies together with Mine-zuo, Iwa-ume and others.
Around snow patches it grows mixed with Aono-tsugazakura.
The stems grow long and branch freely, spreading like a carpet.
Leaves are simple and alternate, linear and thick, 3–7 mm long and 1 mm wide.
It is dioecious.
Both male and female flowers are solitary in the leaf axils and dark purple.
The flowers have three petals and three sepals each, are enclosed by four bracts, and are small, about 5 mm across, and inconspicuous.
The fruit is globose, 6–10 mm across, ripening to blackish purple and sweet.
