Rhododendron subg. Hymenanthes
Subgenus of flowering plants
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rhododendron subg. Hymenanthes is a subgenus of the genus Rhododendron, with a widespread distribution in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The species are evergreen shrubs and small to medium-sized trees (up to 20 m tall), with medium-sized to large leaves (very large, over 40 cm long, in a few species). The flowers are large, produced in terminal trusses of 5-40 together.[1]
.jpg)
| Rhododendron subg. Hymenanthes | |
|---|---|
| |
| Rhododendron ponticum | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Rhododendron |
| Subgenus: | Rhododendron subg. Hymenanthes (Blume) K.Koch |
| Sections | |
| |
The subgenus includes two sections, Rhododendron sect. Ponticum, divided into 24 subsections and about 140 species, and (since 2005) Rhododendron sect. Pentanthera.[2]
Cultivation
This subgenus includes the majority of the larger evergreen rhododendrons widely grown as ornamental plants. Some species, notably Rhododendron ponticum, have escaped from cultivation and become invasive in some regions such as New Zealand.
Ponticum
Section Ponticum (24 subsections) includes:
- R. subsect. Arborea (4 species)
- R. subsect. Argyrophylla (23 species)
- R. subsect. Barbata (2 species)
- R. subsect. Campanulata (2 species)
- R. subsect. Campylocarpa (4 species)
- R. subsect. Falconera (7 species)
- R. subsect. Fortunea (39 species)
- R. subsect. Fulgensia (2 species)
- R. subsect. Fulva (2 species)
- R. subsect. Glischra (5 species)
- R. subsect. Grandia (9 species)
- R. subsect. Griersoniana (one species, R. griersonianum)
- R. subsect. Irrorata (7 species)
- R. subsect. Lanata (6 species)
- R. subsect. Maculifera (6 species)
- R. subsect. Neriiflora (19 species)
- R. subsect. Parishia (3 species)
- R. subsect. Pontica (13 species)
- R. subsect. Selensia (5 species)
- R. subsect. Taliensia (20 species)
- R. subsect. Thomsonia (7 species)
- R. subsect. Venatora (one species, R. venator)
- R. subsect. Williamsiana (one species, R. williamsianum)
Arborea
Rhododendron subsect. Arborea is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes consisting of 4 species of trees native to East Asia.[3][4]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
.jpg) | Rhododendron arboreum Smith 1805 | China (Guizhou, S Xizang), Bhutan, India, Kashmir, Nepal, Sikkim, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam |
.jpg) | Rhododendron delavayi Franchet 1886 | China (Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan), Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam |
| Rhododendron lanigerum Tagg 1930 | China (Xizang), India | |
 | Rhododendron niveum J. D. Hooker 1852 | China (Xizang), Bhutan, India (Sikkim) |
Argyrophylla
Rhododendron subsect. Argyrophylla is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes consisting of 23 species of shrubss native to East Asia. This section is distinguished by its silvery white, pale yellow or yellowish-brown hairs on the abaxial leaf surface.[5][6]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
 | Rhododendron adenopodum Franch. 1895 | China ( Chongqing, Hubei) |
 | Rhododendron argyrophyllum Franch. 1886 | China (Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan) |
| Rhododendron brevipetiolatum M.Y.Fang 1984 | China (Sichuan) | |
| Rhododendron coryanum Tagg & Forrest 1926 | China ( Xizang, Yunnan) | |
 | Rhododendron denudatum H.Lév. 1914 | China (Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan) |
| Rhododendron ebianense M.Y.Fang | China (Sichuan ) | |
| Rhododendron eriobotryoides Xiang Chen & Jia Y.Huang 2010 | China (Guizhou) | |
| Rhododendron fangchengense P.C.Tam 1982 | China (Guizhou) | |
| Rhododendron farinosum H.Lév. | China (Yunnan) | |
.jpg) | Rhododendron floribundum Franch. 1886 | China (Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan.) |
 | Rhododendron formosanum Hemsl. 1895 | Taiwan |
| Rhododendron haofui Chun & W.P.Fang 1957 | China (Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron hunnewellianum Rehder & E.H.Wilson 1913 | China (Gansu, Sichuan) | |
 | Rhododendron hypoglaucum Hemsl. 1889 | China (Chongqing, Hubei, Shaanxi, Sichuan.) |
 | Rhododendron insigne Hemsl. & E.H.Wilson 1910 | China (Sichuan.) |
| Rhododendron longipes Rehder & E.H.Wilson 1913 | China (Chongqing, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan.) | |
| Rhododendron oblancifolium M.Y.Fang 1988 | China (Guizhou) | |
| Rhododendron pingianum W.P.Fang 1939 | China (Sichuan) | |
| Rhododendron pudiense Xiang Chen & Jia Y.Huang 2010 | China (Guizhou) | |
 | Rhododendron ririei Hemsl. & E.H.Wilson 1910 | China (Sichuan) |
| Rhododendron shimenense Q.X.Liu & C.M.Zhang 1991 | China (Hunan) | |
._20250504_234451.jpg) | Rhododendron simiarum Hance 1881 | China (Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang) |
 | Rhododendron thayerianum Rehder & E.H.Wilson 1913 | China (Sichuan) |
Barbata
Rhododendron subsect. Barbata is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes consisting of 5 species of small trees native to East Asia.[7]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Rhododendron argipeplum Balf.f. & R.E.Cooper 1916 | China (Xizang), Bhutan, India (Sikkim) | |
| Rhododendron barbatum Wall. ex G.Don 1834 | China (Xizang), Bhutan, India (Sikkim), Nepal | |
| Rhododendron erosum Cowan 1937 | China (Xizang), Arunachal Pradesh | |
| Rhododendron exasperatum Tagg 1930 | China (Xizang), India, Myanmar | |
| Rhododendron succothii Davidian 1965 | Bhutan, India (W Arunachal Pradesh) | |
Campanulata
Rhododendron subsect. Campanulata is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes consisting of 2 species of shrubs native to East Asia.[8]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
 | Rhododendron campanulatum D. Don 1821 | China (Xizang), Bhutan, India (Kashmir, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh), Nepal |
| Rhododendron gannanense Z. C. Feng & X. G. Sun 1992 | China (Gansu) | |
Campylocarpa
Rhododendron subsect. Campylocarpa is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes consisting of 6 species of shrubs with campanulate shaped flowers native to East Asia.[9]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
 | Rhododendron callimorphum Balf.f. & W.W.Sm. 1917 | China (Yunnan), Myanmar |
 | Rhododendron campylocarpum Hook.f. 1851 | China (Xizang, Yunnan) Bhutan, India (Sikkim), Myanmar, Nepal, |
| Rhododendron henanense W.P.Fang 1983 | China (Henan) | |
| Rhododendron longicalyx M.Y.Fang 1988 | China (Sichuan) | |
| Rhododendron souliei Franch. 1895 | China (Sichuan, Xizang) | |
._(51172243010).jpg) | Rhododendron wardii W.W.Sm. 1914 | China (Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan) |
Falconera
Rhododendron subsect. Falconera is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes consisting of 14 species of shrubs and trees with thick leaves that have yellow veins and red brown hairs on the underside that are native to East Asia.[10]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
 | Rhododendron arizelum Balf.f. & Forrest 1920 | China (Xizang, Yunnan), Myanmar |
 | Rhododendron basilicum Balf.f. & W.W.Sm. 1916 | China (Yunnan), Myanmar |
| Rhododendron coriaceum Franch. 1898 | China (Xizang, Yunnan) | |
 | Rhododendron falconeri Hook.f. 1849 | Nepal, India (Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal), Bhutan |
| Rhododendron fictolacteum Balf.f. 1916 | China (Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan), Myanmar | |
 | Rhododendron galactinum Balf.f. ex Tagg 1926 | China (Sichuan) |
 | Rhododendron hodgsonii Hook.f. 1851 | China (Xizang), Bhutan, India (Sikkim), Nepal |
| Rhododendron mechukae A.A.Mao & A.Paul 2013 | India (Arunachal Pradesh) | |
| Rhododendron preptum Balf.f. & Forrest 1920 | China (Yunnan), Myanmar | |
.jpg) | Rhododendron rex H.Lév. 1914 | China (Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan) Myanmar |
| Rhododendron rothschildii Davidian 1972 | China (Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron semnoides Tagg & Forrest 1926 | China (Xizang, Yunnan) | |
 | Rhododendron sinofalconeri Balf.f. 1916 | China (Yunnan), Vietnam |
| Rhododendron titapuriense A.A.Mao, K.N.E.Cox & D.F.Chamb. 2013 | India (Arunachal Pradesh) | |
Fortunea
Rhododendron subsect. Fortunea is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes consisting of 37 species of shrubs or trees native to East Asia.[11][12]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Rhododendron asterochnoum Diels 1921 | China (Sichuan) | |
 | Rhododendron auriculatum Hemsl. 1889 | China (Shaanxi, Guizhou) |
| Rhododendron bailiense Y.P.Ma, Zhang & D.F.Chamb. 2015 | China (Guizhou) | |
 | Rhododendron calophytum Franch. 1886 | China (Chongqing, Gansu, Guizhou, Hubei, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan) |
| Rhododendron chihsinianum Chun & W.P.Fang 1957 | China (Guangxi) | |
| Rhododendron davidii Franch. 1886 | China (Sichuan, Yunnan) | |
 | Rhododendron decorum Franch. 1886 | China (Guizhou, SW Sichuan, SE Xizang, Yunnan), Myanmar |
 | Rhododendron discolor Franch. 1895 | China (Anhui, Chongqing, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang) |
| Rhododendron faithiae Chun 1934 | China (Guangdong, Guangxi) | |
 | Rhododendron fortunei Lindl. 1859 | China (Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang) |
 | Rhododendron glanduliferum Franch. 1886 | China (Yunnan) |
 | Rhododendron griffithianum Wight 1848 | China (Xizang), Bhutan, N India, E Nepal, Sikkim |
| Rhododendron guihainianum G.Z.Li 1995 | China (Guangxi) | |
.jpg) | Rhododendron hemsleyanum E.H.Wilson 1910 | China (Sichuan) |
| Rhododendron huangpingense Xiang Chen & Jia Y.Huang 2010 | China (Guizhou) | |
| Rhododendron huanum W.P.Fang 1939 | China (Chongqing, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron jinchangense Z.H.Yang 1997 | China (Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron jingangshanicum P.C.Tam 1982 | China (Jiangxi) | |
| Rhododendron jiulongshanense Xiang Chen & Jia Y.Huang 2010 | China (Guizhou) | |
| Rhododendron leigongshanense C.H.Yang, Z.G.Xie, Y.F.Yu & Z.R.Yang 2015 | China (Guizhou) | |
| Rhododendron liboense Zheng R.Chen & K.M.Lan 2003 | China (Guizhou) | |
| Rhododendron magniflorum W.K.Hu 1988 | China (Guizhou) | |
| Rhododendron maoerense W.P.Fang & G.Z.Li 1984 | China (Guangxi) | |
| Rhododendron miyiense W.K.Hu 1988 | China (Sichuan) | |
| Rhododendron nymphaeoides W.K.Hu 1988 | China (Sichuan) | |
 | Rhododendron orbiculare Decne. 1877 | China (Guangxi, Sichuan) |
.jpg) | Rhododendron oreodoxa Franch. 1886 | China (Gansu, Hubei, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xizang) |
| Rhododendron platypodum Diels 1900 | China (Chongqing) | |
| Rhododendron praeteritum Hutch. 1922 | China (Gansu, Hubei, Hunan, Qinghai) | |
 | Rhododendron praevernum Hutch. 1920 | China (Guizhou, Hubei, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan) |
| Rhododendron qiaojiaense L.M.Gao & D.Z.Li 2009 | China (Yunnan) | |
.jpg) | Rhododendron serotinum Hutch. | China (Yunnan), Vietnam |
.jpg) | Rhododendron sutchuenense Franch. 1895 | China (Chongqing, Gansu, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi) |
 | Rhododendron vernicosum Franch. 1898 | China (Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan) |
| Rhododendron verruciferum W.K.Hu 1989 | China (Sichuan) | |
| Rhododendron wolongense W.K.Hu 1988 | China (Sichuan) | |
| Rhododendron xiaoxidongense W.K.Hu 1990 | China (Jiangxi) | |
Fulgensia
Rhododendron subsect. Fulgensia is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes consisting of 3 species of shrubs with glossy leaves that have dark brown hairs on the underside native to East Asia.[13][14]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Rhododendron fulgens Hook.f. 1851 | China (Xizang), Bhutan, India (Sikkim), Nepal | |
| Rhododendron miniatum Cowan 1937 | China (Xizang) | |
| Rhododendron rawatii I.D.Rai & B.S.Adhikari 2020 | India (Uttarakhand) | |
Fulva
Rhododendron subsect. Fulva is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes comprising 2 species of shrubs native to East Asia.[15]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
 | Rhododendron fulvum B. Balfour & W. W. Smith 1917 | China (Sichuan, Xizang, W Yunnan), Myanmar |
 | Rhododendron uvariifolium Diels 1912 | China (Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan) |
Glischrum
Rhododendron subsect. Glischrum is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes comprising 9 species of shrubs native to East Asia.[16]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Rhododendron adenosum (Cowan & Davidian) Davidian 1978 | China (Sichuan) | |
| Rhododendron crinigerum Franch. 1898 | China (Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron diphrocalyx Balf.f. 1919 | China (Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron glischroides Tagg & Forrest 1930 | Myanmar | |
 | Rhododendron glischrum Balf.f. & W.W.Sm. 1916 | China (Xizang, Yunnan) India, Myanmar |
| Rhododendron habrotrichum Balf.f. & W.W.Sm. 1916 | China (Yunnan), Myanmar | |
 | Rhododendron recurvoides Tagg & Forrest 1929-1931 publ. 1932 | Myanmar |
| Rhododendron spilotum Balf.f. & Farrer 1922 | Myanmar | |
| Rhododendron vesiculiferum Tagg 1930 | China (Xizang, Yunnan), Myanmar | |
Grandia
Rhododendron subsect. Grandia is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes that comprises 15 species of trees with large leaf blades covered with trichomes native to East Asia.[17][18]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Rhododendron balangense W.P.Fang 1983 | China (Sichuan) | |
.jpg) | Rhododendron grande Wight 1847 | China(Xizang), Bhutan, India (Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim), Nepal |
 | Rhododendron kesangiae D.G.Long & Rushforth 1988 publ. 1989 | Bhutan |
 | Rhododendron macabeanum G.Watt ex Balf.f. 1920 | China (Xizang), Myanmar |
| Rhododendron magnificum Kingdon Ward 1935 | China (Xizang) | |
| Rhododendron montroseanum Davidian 1979 | China (Xizang) | |
| Rhododendron oreogenum L. C. Hu 1992 | China (Xizang) | |
.jpg) | Rhododendron praestans I. B. Balfour & W. W. Smith 1916 | China (Xizang, Yunnan) |
.jpg) | Rhododendron protistum I. B. Balfour & Forrest 1920 | China (Xizang, Yunnan), Myanmar |
| Rhododendron pudorosum Cowan 1937 | China (Xizang) | |
| Rhododendron sidereum I. B. Balfour 1920 | China (Yunnan), Myanmar | |
 | Rhododendron sinogrande I. B. Balfour & W. W. Smith 1916 | China (Xizang, Yunnan), Myanmar |
| Rhododendron suoilenhense D.F.Chamb., N.T.T.Huong & Rushforth 2020 | Vietnam | |
| Rhododendron watsonii Hemsley & E. H. Wilson 1910 | China (Gansu, Sichuan) | |
| Rhododendron wattii Cowan 1936 | India (Assam) | |
Griersoniana
Rhododendron subsect. Griersoniana is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes that contains a single species of shrub.[19]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
 | Rhododendron griersonianum B. Balfour & Forrest 1919 | China (Yunnan), Myanmar |
Maculifera
Rhododendron subsect. Maculifera is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes that contains 15 species of shrubs or small trees with tomentose stems and rough bark.[20]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
 | Rhododendron anwheiense E.H.Wilson 1925 | China (Anhui) |
 | Rhododendron longesquamatum C.K.Schneid. 1909 | China (Sichuan) |
 | Rhododendron maculiferum Franch. 1895 | China ( Anhui, Gansu, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Zhejiang) |
.jpg) | Rhododendron morii Hayata 1911 | Taiwan |
| Rhododendron ochraceum Rehder & E.H.Wilson 1913 | China (Sichuan, Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron pachyphyllum W.P.Fang 1983 | China (Guangxi, Hunan) | |
.jpg) | Rhododendron pachysanthum Hayata 1913 | Taiwan |
| Rhododendron pachytrichum Franch. 1886 | China (Sichuan, Shaanxi) | |
| Rhododendron pilostylum W.K.Hu 1988 | China (Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron polytrichum W.P.Fang 1983 | China (Guangxi, Hunan) | |
 | Rhododendron pseudochrysanthum Hayata 1908 | Taiwan |
| Rhododendron sikangense W.P.Fang 1952 | China (Sichuan) | |
 | Rhododendron strigillosum Franch. 1886 | China (Sichuan, Yunnan) |
| Rhododendron subroseum Xiang Chen & Jia Y.Huang 2010 | China (Guizhou) | |
 | Rhododendron ziyuanense P.C.Tam 1982 | China (Guangxi) |
Lanata
Rhododendron subsect. Lanata contains 6 species of small trees found in east asia[21]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Rhododendron circinnatum Cowan & Kingdon-Ward 1936 | China (Xizang) | |
| Rhododendron lanatoides D.F.Chamb. 1982 | China (Xizang) | |
| Rhododendron lanatum Hook.f. 1851 | China (Xizang), Bhutan, India (Sikkim) | |
| Rhododendron luciferum (Cowan) Cowan 1953 | China (Xizang) | |
| Rhododendron poluninii Davidian 1989 | Bhutan | |
| Rhododendron tsariense Cowan 1937 | China (Xizang), Bhutan, India | |
Parishia
Rhododendron subsect. Parishia is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes that contains 8 species of small trees found in east asia.[22]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
 | Rhododendron elliottii Brandis ex Lace & W.W.Sm. 1906 | India, Assam (Manipur, Nagaland) |
 | Rhododendron facetum Balf.f. & Kingdon-Ward 1917 | China (Yunnan), Myanmar, Vietnam |
| Rhododendron flavoflorum T.L.Ming 1984 | China (Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron huidongense T.L.Ming 1981 | China (Sichuan) | |
| Rhododendron kyawii Lace & W.W.Sm. 1914 | China (Yunnan), Myanmar | |
| Rhododendron parishii C.B.Clarke 1882 | Myanmar | |
| Rhododendron schistocalyx Balf.f. & Forrest 1920 | China (Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron urophyllum W.P.Fang 1983 | China (Sichuan) | |
Pontica
Rhododendron subsect. Pontica is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes consisting of 13 species of shrubs to small trees native to North America, Europe, and East Asia.[23]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
 | Rhododendron aureum Georgi 1775 | China (Jilin, Liaoning), Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia |
.jpg) | Rhododendron brachycarpum D.Don ex G.Don 1834 | Japan and Korea |
.jpg) | Rhododendron catawbiense Michx. 1803 | United States (West Virginia south to northern Alabama.) |
 | Rhododendron caucasicum Pall. 1784 | Transcaucasus and Anatolia |
 | Rhododendron degronianum Carrière | Japan (-Honshu) |
 | Rhododendron hyperythrum Hayata 1913 | Taiwan |
 | Rhododendron japonoheptamerum Kitam. 1987 | Japan |
 | Rhododendron macrophyllum D.Don ex G.Don | United States (Washington, California and northern Oregon), Canada (British Columbia) |
 | Rhododendron makinoi Tagg ex Nakai 1834 | Japan |
 | Rhododendron maximum L. 1753 | Alabama north to coastal Nova Scotia. |
 | Rhododendron ponticum L. 1762 | Bulgaria, Lebanon-Syria, North Caucasus, Portugal, Spain, Transcaucasus, Turkey |
 | Rhododendron smirnowii Trautv. ex Regel 1885 | Transcaucasus, Turkey |
 | Rhododendron ungernii Trautv. ex Regel 1885 | Transcaucasus, Turkey |
Selensia
Rhododendron subsect. Selensia is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes consisting of 8 species of shrubs to small trees with campanulate flowers.[24]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Rhododendron bainbridgeanum Tagg & Forrest 1930 | China ( Xizang, Yunnan), Myanmar | |
| Rhododendron calvescens Balf.f. & Forrest 1919 | China ( Xizang, Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron dasycladoides Hand.-Mazz. 1936 | China ( Sichuan, Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron esetulosum Balf.f. & Forrest 1920 | China ( Xizang, Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron hirtipes Tagg ex Kingdon-Ward 1930 | China ( Xizang ) | |
| Rhododendron martinianum Balf.f. & Forrest 1919 | China ( Xizang, Yunnan), Myanmar | |
| Rhododendron selense Franch. 1898 | China ( Xizang, Sichuan, Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron setiferum Balf.f. & Forrest 1919 | China ( Xizang, Yunnan) | |
Taliensia
Rhododendron subsect. Taliensia is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes consisting of 57 species of shrubs and small trees with their leaves covered with indumentum.[25]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
 | Rhododendron adenogynum Diels 1912 | China ( Xizang, Sichuan, Yunnan) |
 | Rhododendron aganniphum Balf.f. & Kingdon-Ward 1917 | China (Qinghai, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan) |
 | Rhododendron alutaceum Balf.f. & W.W.Sm. 1917 | China ( Xizang, Sichuan, Yunnan) |
| Rhododendron aureodorsale (W.P.Fang ex J.Q.Fu) Y.P.Ma & J.Nielsen 2012 | China (Shaanxi) | |
| Rhododendron balfourianum Diels 1912 | China ( Sichuan, Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron barkamense D.F.Chamb. 1982 | China ( Sichuan ) | |
| Rhododendron beesianum Diels 1912 | China ( Xizang, Sichuan, Yunnan), Myanmar | |
| Rhododendron bhutanense D.G.Long & S.Bowes-Lyon 1989 | Bhutan | |
._20230417_215323.jpg) | Rhododendron bureavii Franch. 1887 | China ( Sichuan, Yunnan) |
| Rhododendron clementinae Forrest ex W.W.Sm. 1915 | China (Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron codonanthum Balf.f. & Forrest 1922 | China (Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron coeloneurum Diels 1900 | China (Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron comisteum Balf.f. & Forrest 1919 | China ( Xizang, Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron dachengense G.Z.Li 2001 | China ( Guangxi ) | |
| Rhododendron danbaense L.C.Hu 1986 | China ( Sichuan ) | |
| Rhododendron dayiense M.Y.He 1997 | China ( Sichuan ) | |
| Rhododendron detersile Franch. 1898 | China (Shaanxi, Sichuan) | |
| Rhododendron dignabile Cowan 1937 | China ( Xizang ) | |
| Rhododendron dumicola Tagg & Forrest 1930 | China ( Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron elegantulum Tagg & Forrest 1927 | China ( Sichuan, Yunnan) | |
 | Rhododendron faberi Hemsl. 1889 | China ( Sichuan ) |
| Rhododendron heizhugouense M.Y.He & L.C.Hu 1996 | China ( Sichuan ) | |
 | Rhododendron lacteum Franch. 1886 | China ( Yunnan) |
| Rhododendron lulangense L.C.Hu & Tateishi 1992 | China ( Xizang ) | |
| Rhododendron mimetes Tagg & Forrest 1927 | China ( Sichuan ) | |
| Rhododendron montiganum T.L.Ming 1984 | China ( Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron nakotiltum Balf.f. & Forrest 1920 | China ( Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron nhatrangense Dop 1930 | Vietnam | |
| Rhododendron nigroglandulosum Nitz. 1975 | China ( Sichuan ) | |
 | Rhododendron phaeochrysum Balf.f. & Forrest 1917 | China ( Xizang, Sichuan, Yunnan) |
| Rhododendron pomense Cowan & Davidian 1953 | China ( Xizang ) | |
| Rhododendron potaninii Batalin 1891 | China ( Gansu ) | |
| Rhododendron prattii Franch. 1895 | China (Sichuan) | |
 | Rhododendron principis Bureau & Franch. 1891 | China ( Xizang ) |
| Rhododendron pronum Tagg & Forrest 1927 | China ( Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron proteoides Balf.f. & W.W.Sm. 1916 | China ( Xizang, Sichuan, Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron przewalskii Maxim. 1877 | China ( Gansu, Qinghai, W Shaanxi, Sichuan) | |
| Rhododendron pubicostatum T.L.Ming 1981 | China ( Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron pugeense L.C.Hu 1992 | China (Sichuan) | |
| Rhododendron punctifolium L.C.Hu 1984 | China (Yunnan) | |
_13.jpg) | Rhododendron roxieanum W.W.Sm. ex Forrest 1915 | China ( Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan ) |
| Rhododendron roxieoides D.F.Chamb. 1982 | China (Sichuan) | |
 | Rhododendron rufum Batalin 1891 | China ( Gansu, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Sichuan ) |
| Rhododendron scopulum (G.Z.Li) G.Z.Li 2010 | China (Guangxi) | |
| Rhododendron shanii W.P.Fang 1983 | China (Anhui) | |
| Rhododendron sphaeroblastum Balf.f. & Forrest 1920 | China ( Sichuan, Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron taliense Franch. 1886 | China (Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron tianmenshanense C.L.Peng & L.H.Yan 2007 | China (Hunan) | |
| Rhododendron torquescens D.F.Chamb. 2005 | China ( Gansu ) | |
 | Rhododendron traillianum Forrest & W.W.Sm. 1914 | China ( Xizang, Sichuan, Yunnan) |
| Rhododendron trichogynum L.C.Hu 1992 | China (Sichuan) | |
| Rhododendron vellereum Hutch. ex Tagg 1930 | China (Qinghai, Xizang) | |
| Rhododendron wasonii Hemsl. & E.H.Wilson 1910 | China (Sichuan) | |
 | Rhododendron wightii Hook.f. | China (Xizang), Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim |
 | Rhododendron wiltonii Hemsl. & E.H.Wilson 1910 | China (Sichuan) |
| Rhododendron yaoshanense L.M.Gao & S.D.Zhang 2008 | China ( Yunnan) | |
| Rhododendron zhongdianense L.C.Hu 1984 | China ( Yunnan) | |
Thomsonia
Rhododendron subsect. Thomsonia is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes consisting of 17 species of small trees with reddish flowers and peeling red bark native to East Asia.[26]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Rhododendron bonvalotii Bureau & Franch. 1891 | China (Sichuan) | |
| Rhododendron cerasinum Tagg ex Kingdon-Ward 1930 | China (Xizang), Myanmar | |
 | Rhododendron cyanocarpum (Franch.) Franch. ex W.W.Sm. 1914 | China (Yunnan) |
| Rhododendron eclecteum Balf.f. & Forrest 1920 | China (Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan), Myanmar | |
| Rhododendron eurysiphon Tagg & Forrest 1930 | China (Xizang) | |
| Rhododendron faucium D.F.Chamb. 1978 | China (Xizang) | |
| Rhododendron hookeri Nutt. 1853 | China (Xizang), India | |
| Rhododendron hylaeum Balf.f. & Farrer 1922 | China (Xizang, Yunnan), Myanmar | |
| Rhododendron meddianum Forrest 1920 | China (Yunnan), Myanmar | |
| Rhododendron megalanthum M.Y.Fang 1988 | China (Xizang) | |
| Rhododendron populare Cowan 1937 | China (Xizang) | |
| Rhododendron ramipilosum T.L.Ming 1984 | China (Xizang) | |
| Rhododendron sherriffii Cowan 1937 | China (Xizang) | |
.jpg) | Rhododendron stewartianum Diels 1912 | China (Xizang, Yunnan), Myanmar |
| Rhododendron subansiriense D.F.Chamb. & Pet.A.Cox 1978 | Bhutan, India ( Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh) | |
 | Rhododendron thomsonii Hook.f. 1851 | China (Xizang), Bhutan, India (Sikkim), Nepal, |
| Rhododendron viscidifolium Davidian 1966 | China (Xizang) | |
Venatora
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Rhododendron venator Tagg ex L. Rothschild 1933 | China (Xizang) | |
Williamsiana
Rhododendron subsect. Williamsiana is a subsection of section Ponticum in Hymenanthes consisting of 2 species[27]
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
.jpg) | Rhododendron venator Rehder & E.H.Wilson 1913 | China (Guizhou, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan) |
| Rhododendron leishanicum W.P.Fang & X.S.Zhang 1983 | China (Guizhou) | |
Pentanthera
Rhododendron sect. Pentanthera is a section of subgenus Hymenanthes in the genus Rhododendron. It comprises 15-16 species of deciduous shrubs native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
It includes two subsections:
- Pentathera
- Sinensia
Pentanthera
Species include:
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
_(27254491580).jpg) | Rhododendron alabamense Alfred Rehder, 1921 (Alabama azalea) | United States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee) |
 | Rhododendron arborescens John Torrey, 1824 | United States (West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.) |
.jpg) | Rhododendron atlanticum Alfred Rehder, 1921 | United States (New Jersey south to Georgia.) |
 | Rhododendron austrinum (Small) Rehder 1917 | United States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi) |
 | Rhododendron calendulaceum John Torrey, 1824 | United States (southern Pennsylvania and Ohio to northern Georgia.) |
 | Rhododendron canadense (L.) Torr. | Canada in Newfoundland and extends into eastern Ontario and the United States from New York, New Jersey, and at high altitudes in the Appalachian Mountains further south to Pennsylvania. |
 | Rhododendron canescens (Michx.) Sweet 1889 | United States(Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia ) |
 | Rhododendron colemanii Ronald F. Miller, 2008 | United States(Alabama and western Georgia) |
 | Rhododendron cumberlandense Emma Lucy Braun, 1941 | United States (Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and North Carolina.) |
 | Rhododendron eastmanii Kathleen Anne Kron, 1999 | United States (South Carolina) |
 | Rhododendron flammeum (Michx.) Sarg. 1917 | United States(Georgia and South Carolina) |
.jpg) | Rhododendron luteum Sweet 1911 (yellow azalea, honeysuckle azalea) | southern Russia; and in Asia |
 | Rhododendron occidentale Torr. & A.Gray 1876 | United States(Oregon, California) |
 | Rhododendron periclymenoides (Michx.) Shinners 1962 (pink azalea, pinxterbloom azalea, pinxter flower) | United States(southern New York south to Georgia) |
_(27254491900).jpg) | Rhododendron prinophyllum (Small) Millais 1917 (rose azalea, roseshell azalea) | Eastern United States |
 | Rhododendron prunifolium (Small) Millais 1917 | United States( Georgia, Alabama ) |
.jpg) | Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr. 1824 (Swamp azalea) | Eastern United States |
Sinensia
Species include:
| Image | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
 | Rhododendron molle (Blume) G.Don 1834 | S. China |
 | Rhododendron japonicum[28] (A.Gray) Suringar, 1908 | Japan (Honshu, Shikoku, N. Kyushu). |
The section is closely related to sect. Rhodora, differing from it in the flower corolla having five fully developed lobes, whereas sect. Rhodora has the upper three lobes joined into a single three-lipped lobe.
Cultivation
Most (but not all) of the cultivated azaleas belong to species in this section, and hybrids derived from them.