NARO Genebank - Illustrated Plant Genetic Resources Database (azalea)

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Origin: Genus Rhododendron is belong to Ericaceae. It is about 600 species in the world and above 40 species in Japan.; Section Tsutsusi of subgenus Tsutsusi is most available for gardening. This section includes about 70 species. Most of all species are in China, Japan and Taiwan.
Characteristics: All species are shrubs. Leaves are evergreen or deciduous and are alternate phyllotaxis. Flowers are solitary or arranged in subumbellate racemes with up to 1-10-floweres. Corolla shapes are funnel-shaped, campanulate or tubular and usually 5-lobed. Stamens are 5-10.; Pollen grains are borne in tetrads and come out of apical pores at the end of the anthers. Pollens come out together in a stringy matrix. Ovaries are 5-10 locules.; Seed capsules split open and scatter seeds. Section Tsutsusi has two leaf types. Spring leaves open in spring and fall in summer.; Summer leaves open after rainy season and are partly persistent throughout winter.
Uses: green belt, garden, pot, bonsai
References: Gardenlife 1976,"Tsutsusi sonosyurui to saibai" SeibundoShinkousya (in Japanese); Gardenlife 1978,"Yasei no Tsutsusi" SeibundoShinkousya (in Japanese); Gardenlife 1979,"Nippon no Engei Tsutsusi" SeibundoShinkousya (in Japanese); Gardenlife 1985,tsuukan205 pp.103-106 (in Japanese); Matsuo,T 1989,"Collected Data of Plant Genetic Resources" Koudansya scientific (in Japanese)