Rhododendron pruniflorum
| Rhododendron pruniflorum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Rhododendron pruniflorum flowers | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Rhododendron |
| Section: | Rhododendron |
| Species: | R. pruniflorum |
| Binomial name | |
| Rhododendron pruniflorum Hutch. & Kingdon-Ward | |
Rhododendron pruniflorum, commonly known as the plum-flowered rhododendron, is an open, often rather leggy 1–1.5 m high shrub found in northern Burma and nearby parts of India at elevations up to 4000m. It occurs in coniferous woodlands that are dominated by species of fir (Abies).[1]
The leaves are often glaucous, are aromatic and the undersides have a coating of fine, pale grey scales. As the name pruniflorum (plum-flowered) suggests, the small, waxy flowers are an typically an unusual plum-purple-red shade, though they may also be mauve to pink. The heads of 3–10 small flowers open late, not until early summer at higher elevations.[2]