| English Name | Champion's Rhododendron |
|---|---|
| Status in China | Least Concern（LC） |
Description:
Small trees, up to 10 m tall; branches, petioles and pedicels with gland-tipped bristles. Leaves thick papery, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 10-14 cm long and 3-4 cm wide, apex acuminate, base short cuneate, margin initially bristle- ciliate ; petiole ca. 1 cm long. Inflorescence umbelliform with 4-6 flowers in axils of leaves near apex of shoots; pedicel up to 2 cm long; corolla funnelform, 6 cm long, rosy and pale red; stamens 10, ca. 4 cm long, filaments pubescence on the lower middle; style longer than stamens, glabrous. Capsule cylindric, 3.5-5 cm long, slightly curved, grayish brown when matured, rather tough.
Distribution:
Victoria Peak, Ma On Shan, Wu Kau Tang, San Chau at Lantau Island. Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Hunan, Zhejiang.
Habitat and Ecology:
In secondary forests. Flowering: Mar.-Apr.; fruiting: Sept.-Oct.
This species, first discovered in 1849 in Hong Kong Island, has a high ornamental value for its colourful flower. In Hong Kong, most of the localities of its occurrence are within Country Parks under protection. The localities at Ma On Shan and San Chau have also been listed as SSSIs. The species has been listed under the Forestry Regulations (Cap. 96 sub. leg.). Ex-situ conservation has also been adopted and living specimens are displayed in the Shing Mun Arboretum.
References:
譚沛祥，1987：廣東植物誌1：310。圖330。廣東科技出版社。廣州。
