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Alabama azalea

coastal azalea, dwarf azalea

Habit Shrubs, to 3(–5) m, usually not rhizomatous. Shrubs, to 0.5–1 m, very strongly rhizomatous.
Stems

bark smooth to vertically furrowed, shredding;

twigs scattered, multicellular eglandular-hairy (hairs unbranched), otherwise glabrous or moderately unicellular-hairy.

bark ± smooth, not shredding;

twigs scattered, multicellular eglandular-hairy (hairs unbranched) and/or stipitate-glandular-hairy, otherwise glabrous or, sometimes, sparsely unicellular-hairy.

Leaves

deciduous;

petiole unicellular- and stipitate-glandular-hairy;

blade ovate to obovate, 4–7.7(–9.4) × 1.2–2.5(–3.3) cm, thin, membranous, margins entire, plane, ciliate, eglandular-hairy, apex acute to obtuse, often mucronate, abaxial surface glabrous or unicellular-hairy, adaxial surface usually scattered eglandular-hairy, usually also unicellular-hairy.

deciduous;

petiole multicellular eglandular- and/or stipitate-glandular-hairy, sometimes also unicellular-hairy;

blade ovate to obovate, 2–5.5(–6.5) × 0.8–2(–3) cm, thin, membranous to chartaceous, margins entire, plane, ciliate, eglandular-hairy, apex acute to obtuse, often mucronate, abaxial surface glabrous or, rarely, sparsely scattered eglandular-hairy, sometimes sparsely (rarely densely) unicellular-hairy, adaxial surface (lustrous to dull), glabrous or sparsely scattered stipitate-glandular-hairy, sometimes also sparsely unicellular-hairy.

Inflorescences

6–7-flowered;

bracts similar to bud scales.

4–13-flowered;

bracts similar to bud scales.

Pedicels

4–12 mm, eglandular- and/or stipitate-glandular-hairy, otherwise glabrous or moderately unicellular-hairy.

4–15(–20) mm, eglandular- and/or stipitate-glandular-hairy, otherwise glabrous or sparsely (rarely moderately) unicellular-hairy.

Flowers

opening before or with leaves, erect to horizontal, very fragrant;

calyx lobes 0.1–3 mm, scattered eglandular-hairy and/or stipitate-glandular-hairy, otherwise sparsely to moderately unicellular-hairy, margins eglandular-hairy;

corolla white, sometimes pink-tinged, with contrasting yellow blotch on upper lobe, funnelform, 25–42 mm, scattered stipitate-glandular-hairy (hairs often continuing in lines up lobes), otherwise sparsely to moderately unicellular-hairy on outer surface, petals connate, lobes 9–21 mm, tube usually ± gradually expanded into lobes, 15–31 mm (longer than lobes);

stamens 5, much exserted, ± unequal, 37–69 mm.

opening before or with leaves, erect to horizontal, usually very fragrant and/or nearly mephitic-scented;

calyx lobes 0.7–5.5(–10) mm, marginal and scattered stipitate-glandular- or, less commonly, eglandular-hairy, sometimes also unicellular-hairy;

corolla white, usually flushed pink or rose (especially on tube), without blotch on upper lobe, funnelform, 23–58 mm, scattered, usually conspicuous, multicellular stipitate-glandular-hairy (hairs forming prominent band along middle of each lobe), otherwise glabrous or, sometimes, sparsely unicellular-hairy on outer surface, petals connate, lobes 8–24 mm, tube rather gradually expanded into lobes, 16–35 mm (equaling or longer than lobes);

stamens 5, much exserted, ± unequal, 32–63 mm.

Capsules

borne on erect pedicels, 14–22 × 3–4 mm, sparsely to moderately multicellular eglandular-hairy, otherwise moderately to densely unicellular-hairy.

borne on erect pedicels, 10–24 × 4–8 mm, usually densely stipitate-glandular-hairy, otherwise glabrous or densely unicellular-hairy.

Seeds

without distinct tails;

testa expanded, dorsiventrally flattened, ± loose.

without distinct tails, flattened portion of testa well developed at each end;

testa expanded, dorsiventrally flattened, ± loose.

Floral

bud scales glabrous or glabrate abaxially, margins unicellular-ciliate.

bud scales glabrous or densely unicellular-hairy abaxially, margins usually unicellular-ciliate.

2n

= 26.

= 26.

Rhododendron alabamense

Rhododendron atlanticum

Phenology Flowering spring. Flowering spring.
Habitat Open, dry woodlands, rocky slopes Moist pine flatwoods and savannas, sometimes in drier pine and/or oak forests, primarily in fire-maintained communities of the Atlantic coastal plain
Elevation 0-500 m (0-1600 ft) 0-200 m (0-700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; MS; TN
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
DE; GA; MD; NC; PA; SC; VA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Rhododendron alabamense may be most closely related to a clade containing orange-red-flowered species (K. A. Kron 1993). This species has sometimes been confused with R. eastmanii; R. alabamense flowers before or as the leaves expand whereas R. eastmanii flowers after the leaves have expanded. Hybrids with R. canescens are known.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Varieties and forms have been described within Rhododendron atlanticum (see E. H. Wilson and A. J. Rehder 1921; K. A. Kron 1993). Hybrids between it and R. canescens and R. periclymenoides are known. Rhododendron atlanticum is easily confused with the sympatric R. viscosum, which generally is taller, less rhizomatous, hairier, larger-leaved, and later-flowering (i.e., flowers appear after the leaves have expanded).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 467. FNA vol. 8, p. 468.
Parent taxa Ericaceae > subfam. Ericoideae > Rhododendron Ericaceae > subfam. Ericoideae > Rhododendron
Sibling taxa
R. albiflorum, R. arborescens, R. atlanticum, R. austrinum, R. calendulaceum, R. canadense, R. canescens, R. catawbiense, R. columbianum, R. cumberlandense, R. eastmanii, R. flammeum, R. groenlandicum, R. lapponicum, R. macrophyllum, R. maximum, R. minus, R. occidentale, R. periclymenoides, R. prinophyllum, R. prunifolium, R. tomentosum, R. vaseyi, R. viscosum
R. alabamense, R. albiflorum, R. arborescens, R. austrinum, R. calendulaceum, R. canadense, R. canescens, R. catawbiense, R. columbianum, R. cumberlandense, R. eastmanii, R. flammeum, R. groenlandicum, R. lapponicum, R. macrophyllum, R. maximum, R. minus, R. occidentale, R. periclymenoides, R. prinophyllum, R. prunifolium, R. tomentosum, R. vaseyi, R. viscosum
Synonyms Azalea alabamensis Azalea atlantica
Name authority Rehder: in E. H. Wilson and A. J. Rehder, Monogr. Azaleas, 141. 1921 , (Ashe) Rehder: in E. H. Wilson and A. J. Rehder, Monogr. Azaleas, 147. 1921 ,
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