Rhododendron wilhelminae

• Overview
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Overview

Critically Endangered

Description

Family Ericaceae

Plants usually woody, or herbs, sometimes lacking chlorophyll. Leaves spiral , sometimes decussate, margin often toothed . Inflorescence racemose; bracteoles paired , basal. Flowers (4 or) 5-merous. Calyx imbricate. Corolla connate , imbricate. Stamens 10, sometimes with spurs or awns , dehiscing by pores , pollen in tetrads , rarely single. Ovary superior or inferior, placentation axile , rarely parietal , often many ovules per locule. Style ± as long as corolla, slender. Fruit a capsule or berry, rarely a drupe; calyx persistent.

About 125 genera and 4000 species: widely distributed in temperate and subarctic regions, also at high elevations in tropical regions ; 22 genera and 826 species (524 endemic) in China.

The Monotropoideae are here included in the Ericaceae; previously in FRPS (56: 157 216. 1990), they were treated as the Pyrolaceae. Chiogenes, recorded from China in FRPS (57(3) : 69 71. 1991), is here included in Gaultheria. Over the last half century, the Empetraceae have usually been separated from, but closely associated with, the Ericaceae. In their ecology, leaf morphology and insertion , rusts, embryology, stamen anatomy, etc. , they largely agree with that family . Molecular data place Empetrum and its relatives firmly within the Ericaceae, and in particular within the subfamily Ericoideae, in agreement with phytochemical and palynological data, and there they are best recognized as a separate tribe . There are distinctive features of the Empetreae that were responsible for their past familial status, e.g. , reduced perianth with separate members , low ovule number, enlarged stigmas, etc. However, these are likely to be derived features associated with wind pollination. See Kron et al. (Bot. Rev. 68: 335 423. 2002) and the recent treatment of the Ericaceae by Stevens et al. (in Kubitzki, Fam. Gen. Vasc. Pl. 6: 145 194. 2004) .

Several genera and many species are ornamentals . Some fruits of Vaccinium in N China are sweet and edible, but of no particular value to humans. Some species of Chamaedaphne, Craibiodendron, Leucothoë, Lyonia, Pieris, and Rhododendron contain more or less toxic diterpenes, which are harmful to humans or domestic animals.[1]

Genus Rhododendron

Shrubs or trees , terrestrial or epiphytic, with various hairs , and/or with peltate scales or glabrous , indumentum sometimes detersile (the hairs tangled and coming away as a layer) . Leaves evergreen , deciduous or semideciduous, alternate, sometimes clustered at stem apex; margin entire, very rarely crenulate , abaxial indumentum sometimes with a pellicle (a thin skinlike layer on the surface) . Inflorescence a raceme or corymb, mostly terminal , sometimes lateral , few- to many-flowered, sometimes reduced to a single flower. Calyx persistent , 5-8-lobed, sometimes reduced to a rim , lobes minute and triangular to large and conspicuous . Corolla funnelform , campanulate , tubular , rotate or hypocrateriform , regular or slightly zygomorphic, 5(-8) -lobed, lobes imbricate in bud. Stamens 5-10(-27), inserted at base of corolla, usually declinate ; filaments linear to filiform , glabrous or pilose towards base; anthers without appendages , opening by terminal or oblique pores . Disk usually thick, 5-10(-14) -lobed. Ovary 5(-18) -locular, with hairs and/or scales, rarely glabrous. Style straight or declinate to deflexed , persistent; stigma capitate-discoid, crenate to lobed . Capsule cylindrical, coniform, or ovoid , sometimes curved , dehiscent from top, septicidal ; valves thick or thin, straight or twisted. Seeds very numerous , minute, fusiform , always winged , or both ends with appendages or thread-like tails.

About 1000 species: Asia, Europe, North America, two species in Australia; 571 species (409 endemic) in China.[2]

Landscaping

Landscape Uses: Shade garden. Woodland area. • Care: Apply Holly-tone in early spring and after flowering. Amend poorly-drained soils with fine-grade mulch.

Biology

Growth

Culture: Plant where they will be protected from damage from drying winter winds.

Soil: Needs acidic, well-drained, organic soil. • Minimum pH: 4.5 • Maximum pH: 5.5

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Part sun to part shade.

Moisture: Water Requirements: Until established , keep shrubs consistently moist (not wet). Ensure that the soil has good drainage .

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b. (map)

Taxonomy

Similar Species

Members of the genus Rhododendron

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 15466 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

R. 'Kathy' · R. 'Linwood Hardy Gardenia' · R. 'Mothers Day' · R. 'White Cascade' · R. '851C' · R. 'A.J. Ivens' · R. 'A. Abels' (A. Abels Azalea) · R. 'A. Borsig' (A. Borsig Rhododendron) · R. 'A. Gilbert' · R. 'A. J. Blom' (A. J. Blom Azalea) · R. 'A. J. Richers' (A. J. Richers Rhododendron) · R. 'Aalsmeer' (Aalsmeer Rhododendron) · R. 'Aaron Stewart Jordan' (Aaron Stewart Jordan Rhododendron) · R. 'Aartje' (Aartje Rhododendron) · R. 'Aase' (Aase Rhododendron) · R. 'Abbott' (Abbott Rhododendron) · R. 'Abbott's Orange Glow' (Abbott's Orange Glow Azalea) · R. 'Abbott's Rose Ruffles' (Abbott's Rose Ruffles Azalea) · R. 'Abbot' · R. 'Abd-el-Kader' (Abd-El-Kader Rhododendron) · R. 'Abegail' · R. 'Abel Carriere' (Abel Carriere Azalea) · R. 'Abendrot' · R. aberconwayi · R. aberconwayi dwarf form · R. aberconwayi 'His Lordship' · R. aberconwayi pink · R. abercornwayi · R. 'Aberdeenii' (Aberdeenii Rhododendron) · R. aberrans · R. 'Abe Arnott' · R. abietifolium · R. 'Abigail Adams' (Abigail Adams Rhododendron) · R. 'Ablaze' (Ablaze Rhododendron) · R. 'Abondance' (Abondance Rhododendron) · R. 'Abondontiana Rubra' (Abondontiana Rubra Rhododendron) · R. 'Abricotee' (Abricotee Azalea) · R. 'Abundans' (Abundans Azalea) · R. 'Abundant Life' (Abundant Life Azalea) · R. 'Accent' (Accent Rhododendron) · R. 'Accomplishment' · R. 'Achievement' (Achievement Rhododendron) · R. 'Achilles' · R. achroanthum · R. 'Acme' (Acme Rhododendron) · R. acraium · R. 'Acrobat' (Acrobat Rhododendron) · R. acrophilum · R. 'Acteon' (Acteon Rhododendron) · R. 'Actress' · R. acuminatum · R. 'Adagio' (Adagio Rhododendron) · R. 'Adamant' · R. adamsii · R. 'Ada Brunieres' (Ada Brunieres Azalea) · R. 'Addisonii' (Addisonii Rhododendron) · R. 'Addy Wery' (Addy Wery Rhododendron) · R. 'Adelaide' (Adelaide Azalea) · R. Adelaide Group · R. 'Adelaine Pope' (Adelaine Pope Rhododendron) · R. 'Adele' (Adele Rhododendron) · R. 'Adelphi' (Adelphi Rhododendron) · R. 'Ademurasaki' (Ademurasaki Rhododendron) · R. adenanthum · R. adenobracteum · R. adenogynum · R. adenogynum Adenophorum Group · R. adenogynum white · R. adenophorum · R. adenopodum · R. adenopodum A.M. form · R. adenostemonum · R. adenosum · R. adenosum Kuluense Group · R. 'Adesugata' (Adesugata Rhododendron) · R. 'Adinda' (Adinda Rhododendron) · R. adinophyllum · R. 'Admiraal de Ruyter' (Admiraal De Ruyter Azalea) · R. 'Admirable' (Admirable Azalea) · R. 'Admiral Piet Hein' · R. 'Admiral Schley' (Admiral Schley Rhododendron) · R. 'Admiral Semmes' (Admiral Semmes Azalea) · R. 'Admiral Tromp' (Admiral Tromp Azalea) · R. 'Admiranda' (Admiranda Rhododendron) · R. 'Admiration' (Admiration Rhododendron) · R. 'Adolf Czullik' (Adolf Czullik Rhododendron) · R. 'Adolf Grille' (Adolf Grille Rhododendron) · R. 'Adolphe' (Adolphe Rhododendron) · R. 'Adolphe de Vervaene' (Adolphe De Vervaene Rhododendron) · R. 'Adolphe d'Haene' (Adolphe D'Haene Rhododendron) · R. 'Adolphe Thiers' (Adolphe Thiers Rhododendron) · R. 'Adolphine' (Adolphine Azalea) · R. 'Adolphi Flore Major' (Adolphi Flore Major Rhododendron) · R. 'Adolphi Flore Pleno' (Adolphi Flore Pleno Rhododendron) · R. 'Adolphi Masquilier' (Adolphi Masquilier Rhododendron) · R. 'Adonia' (Adonia Rhododendron) · R. 'Adonis' (Adonis Rhododendron) · R. 'Adorabile' (Adorabile Rhododendron) · R. 'Adorable' (Adorable Rhododendron) · R. 'Adoree' (Adoree Azalea)

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Further Reading

• Whitten, T., Soeriaatmadja, R.E. and Afiff, S.A. 1996. The Ecology of Java and Bali. The Ecology of Indonesia Series. Volume III. Periplus Editions, Republic of Singapore.
• Chou Yiliang & Zhou Ruichang. 1990. Pyrolaceae. In: Fang Wenpei & Hu Wenkuang, eds., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 56: 157216
• Fang Rhuicheng, Yang Hanbi & Chin Tsenli. 1999. Ericaceae (1). In: Fang Rhuicheng, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 57(1): 1213
• Hsu Tingzhi, Gao Baochun, Fang Rhuicheng & Huang Shuhua. 1991. Ericaceae (3). In: Fang Rhuicheng, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 57(3): 1207
• Hu Wenkuang, Hu Lincheng, Fang Mingyuan & He Mingyou. 1994. Ericaceae (2). In: Hu Lincheng, Fang Mingyuan, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 57(2): 1438
• Ming Tien lu. 1980. Empetraceae. In: Cheng Mien & Ming Tien lu, eds., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 45(1): 6062.

Notes

Contributors

• World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. In IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCNRedList.org. Downloaded July 19, 2008.

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 7142244
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 15473856
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:333601-1
• IUCN ID: 31995
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 1020510

Footnotes

1. Mingyuan Fang, Ruizheng Fang, Mingyou He, Linzheng Hu, Hanbi Yang, Haining Qin, Tianlu Min, David F. Chamberlain, Peter Stevens, Gary D. Wallace & Arne Anderberg "Ericaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 14 Page 242. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
2. Fang Mingyuan, Fang Ruizheng, He Mingyou, Hu Linzhen, Yang Hanbi, David F. Chamberlain "Rhododendron". in Flora of China Vol. 14 Page 260. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]

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