Rhododendron subg. Rhododendron
| Rhododendron | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Rhododendron ferrugineum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Rhododendron |
| Subgenus: |
Rhododendron L. |
| Type species | |
|
Rhododendron ferrugineum L. |
|
| Sections | |
|
See text |
|
See text
Rhododendron subgenus Rhododendron is a subgenus of the genus Rhododendron. With around 400 species, it is the largest of the eight subgenera (more recently reduced to five) containing nearly half of all known species of Rhododendron and all of the lepidote (scales on the underside of the leaves) species.
The subgenus has traditionally included three sections:
However, following phylogenetic analysis, Craven (2008) raised the appropriately named Pseudovireya subsection of Vireya to section rank, splitting it into two geographic clades, the Asian mainland species as Pseudovireya, and the Malesian species as Discovireya, making five sections in all. The new sections are thus:
Characteristics: (Craven 2008)
Craven also provides a formal Key to the subgenus.
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