japonicum
/ja-PON-ih-kum/🏷️ Taxonomy● Basic
Also known as: japonicus, japonica
A geographic epithet marking a plant native to Japan, or first described from Japanese material, and the neuter form used where the genus is neuter. Japan's temperate flora has supplied so many hardy garden plants that this is among the commonest origin epithets in cultivation. Appears as japonicus (masculine), japonica (feminine), or japonicum (neuter).
Etymology
From modern Latin japonicus, adjectival form of Japonia (Japan).
Example
“Acer japonicum (fullmoon maple) and Cercidiphyllum japonicum (katsura) show the neuter ending required by their genera.”