Included here is the Japanese islands of Honshu, Kyushu, Hokkaido, and the smaller islands of Gotto-retto, Tanega, Tsushima and Yaku.

Vegetated Coastal Shingle Structures in Central and Southern Japan

In central Japan shingle structures can be divided into beaches developed at the base of sea cliffs derived from cliff erosion and beaches deposited by sea currents. The vegetation was divided into the following six communities:

Calystegia soldanella-Lathyrus japonicus Shingle Vegetation
Associated species include Angelica japonica, Arabis stellari var. japonica, Canavalia lineate, Cirsium maritimum, Lysimachia mauritiana, Messerschmidia sibirica, Polygonum senticosum, Rosa wichuraiana and Rumex japonicus.

Polygonum senticosum Shingle Vegetation
Associated species include Ampelopsis brevipedunculata, Atriplex subcordata, Bidens pilosa, Calystegia soldanella, Cnidium japonicum, Commelina communis, Digitaria timorensis, Lathyrus japonicus, Lysimachia mauritiana, Paederia scandens var. mairei and Torillis japonica.

Messerschmidia sibirica Shingle Vegetation
Associated species include Artemisia princes, Atriplex gmelinii, Atriplex subcordata, Calystegia soldanella, Euphorbia jolkinii, Lathyrus japonicus, Polygonum senticosum, Raphanus sativus var. hortensis, Rosa wichuraiana, Rumex japonicus, Setaria viridis var. pachystachys and Tetragonia tetragonoides.

Euphorbia jolkinii Shingle Vegetation
Assciated species include Agropyron kamoji, Arundo donax, Asparagus lucidus, Bromus japonicus, Calystegia soldanella, Lathyrus japonicus, Lonicera japonica, Miscanthus sinensis, Peucedanum japonicum, Raphanus sativus var. hortensis, Rosa wichuraiana, Rumex japonicus, Torillis japonica, Vicia sepium and Vitex rotundifolia.

Chrysanthemum japonense Shingle Vegetation
Associated species include Calystegia soldanella, Canavalia lineate, Carex fibrillose, Crepidiastrum lanceolatum, Dianthus japonicus, Digitaria violascens, Elaeagnus pungens, Farfugium japonicum, Liriope minor, Lonicera japonica, Lysimachia mauritiana, Miscanthus sinensis, Oxalis corniculata, Paederia scandens var. mairei, Peucedanum japonicum, Rhaphiolepis umbellate, Rosa wichuraiana, Scilla sinensis, Scutellaria indica var. parvifolia, Setaria viridis var. pachystachys and Viola grypoceras.

Rosa wichuraiana Shingle Vegetation
Associated species include Ampelopsis brevipedunculata, Angelica japonica, Asparagus lucidus, Calystegia soldanella, Carex pumila, Cocculus orbiculatus, Dianthus japonicus, Indigofera pseudotinctoria, Lathyrus japonicus, Liriope spicata, Lonicera japonica, Lotus corniculatus var. japonicus, Miscanthus sinensis, Oxalis corniculata, Paederia scandens var. mairei, Peucedanum japonicum and Torillis japonica.

Vegetated Coastal Shingle Structures in South-Western Japan

In south-western Japan vegetated shingle spits are chiefly found in north-western Kyushu. Some of the best preserved examples include Magaribana Spit (near Oshima-mura), Magarizaki Spit, Hinoshima (Island) and Tanoura Spit (Hisakajima, Island).

Calystegia soldanella-Salsola komarovii Shingle Vegetation
This vegetation is typical of the exposed, outer sides of spits with good examples occurring, for example, on the Magarizaki spit.  Other species included Canavalia lineata, Commelina benghalensis, Eclipta prostrate, Lysimachia mauritiana, Polygonum senticosum, Portulaca oleracea, Rumex japonicus, Setaria viridis var. pachystachys and Tetragonia tetragonoides.

Messerschmidia sibirica Shingle Vegetation
This vegetation is also typical of the exposed, outer sides of spits particularly along tidal drift lines rich in organic matter. Other species included Calystegia soldanella, Lathyrus japonicus, Setaria viridis var. pachystachys and Tetragonia tetragonoides.

Rosa wichuraiana-Vitex rotundifolia Shingle Vegetation
This dwarf shrub community was found on all shingle spits. Other species included Acalypha australis, Achyranthes fauriei, Agropyron tsukushiense, Allium grayi, Ampelopsis brevipedunculata, Bidens biternata, Bromus japanicus, Calystegia soldanella, Chrysanthemum indicum, Clematis terniflora, Cocculus orbiculatus, Commelina communis, Corchoropsis tomentosa, Corydalis heterocarpa var. japonica, Crepidiastrum lanceolatum, Cyperus rotundus, Dichondra repens, Eurya emarginata, Festuca myuros, Heteropappus hispidus var. arenarius, Ixeris stolonifera, Lespedeza cuneata, Lonicera japonica, Lysimachia mauritiana, Oxalis corniculata, Peucedanum japonicum, Polygonum chinese, Rhaphanus sativus var. hortensis, Rumex japonicus, Sagina maxima, Scilla sinensis, Sedum oryzifolium, Setaria viridis var. pachystachys, Sonchus oleraceus, Tetragonia tetragonoides and Torilis japonica.

Sedum oryzifolium-Lysimachia mauritiana Shingle Vegetation
This vegetation seems to have mainly been associated with man made-habitats comprising heaps of earth and therefore does not represent a natural shingle association.  Other species included Asparagus cochinchinensis, Calystegia soldanella, Canavalia lineate, Commelina communis, Corydalis heterocarpa var. japonica, Crepidiastrum lanceolatum, Dianthus japonicus, Heteropappus hispidus var. arenarius, Lathyrus japonicus, Lysimachia mauritiana, Paederia scandens var. mairei, Peucedanum japonicum, Rosa wichuraiana, Sedum oryzifolium, Setaria viridis var. pachystachys and Tetragonia tetragonoides.

Limonium tetragonum Shingle Vegetation
This vegetation was typical of the sheltered, inner sides of spits and was found, for example, on the Magarizaki Spit. It represents a form of shingle saltmarsh. Other species included Artemisia fukudo, Atriplex gmelinii and Suaeda maritima.

Zoysia sinica var. nipponica Shingle Vegetation
This also represents a form of shingle saltmarsh typical of the sheltered, inner sides of spits and was found, for example, on the Magarizaki and Tanoura spits. Other species included Limonium tetragonum and Suaeda maritima.

Polygonum polyneuron-Atriplex gmelinii Shingle Vegetation
Restricted to the sheltered, inner side of spits the vegetation occurs in both saltmarsh and tidal drift lines. No other associates were recorded.

Euphorbia jolkinii Shingle Vegetation
The tidal drift line vegetation was confined to shelter, inner side of spits and found, for example, on the Magaribana Spit. The only other associate was Messerschmidia sibirica.

Raphanus sativus var. hortensis Shingle Vegetation
This vegetation type was only recorded in the Oshima-mura area and here it was heavily influenced by grazing. Other species included Dicondra repens, Messerschmidia sibirica, Oxalis corniculata, Sagina maxima, Sonchus oleraceus and Torilis japonica.

Vitex rotundifolia-Crinum asiaticum var. japonicum Shingle Vegetation
This vegetation was found on all shingle spits except in Oshima-mura and typical of the high-tide line. Other species included Ampelopsis brevipedunculata, Artemisia princeps, Canavalia lineate, Chrysanthemum indicum, Clematis terniflora, Crepidiastrum lanceolatum, Crinum asiaticum var. japonicum, Lonicera japonica, Miscanthus sinensis, Nethrolepis auriculata, Oxalis corniculata, Rosa wichursaiana, Scilla sinensis together with the endemic Trachelospermum asiaticum (Apocynaceae) and Wisteria floribunda (Fabaceae).

Hibiscus hamabo Shingle Vegetation
Found on the sheltered, inner side of spits this vegetation represents a form of semi-mangrove, and was found, for example, on the Magarizaki and Tanoura spits. Other species included Atriplex gmelinii, Crinum asiaticum var. japonicum, Euonymus japonicus and Rosa wichursaiana.

Myoporum bontioides Shingle Vegetation
Comprising monspecific stands Myoporum bontioides, this vegetation also represented a form of semi-mangrove confined to the sheltered, inner side of spits, and was found, for example, on the Magarizaki spit.

References

Nakanishi, H. 1982. Coastal vegetation of the shingle spits of southwestern Japan. Phytocoenologia, 10:  57-71.

Nakanishi, H. 1984. Phytosociological studies on shingle beach vegetation in central and southern Japan. Hikobia, 9: 137-145.