十花药组 shi hua yao zu

Shrubs or small trees, deciduous. Leaves in whorls of 5–7 or more at tips of branches. Calyx usually small; corolla rotate-funnelform, tube much shorter than lobes; stamens 10, included or slightly exserted; ovary and lower part of style glandular-hairy.

Three or four species: China, Japan, Korea, E Russia; one species in China.

There is good DNA evidence to suggest that Rhododendron sect. Sciadorhodion is not related to R. sect. Brachycalyx, or indeed to R. subg. Tsutsusi. The subverticillate leaves that are common to both are outweighed by a range of other morphological and anatomical differences.

Lower Taxon

• Rhododendron schlippenbachii Maximowicz