''Rhododendron ferrugineum'', the alpenrose, snow-rose, or rusty-leaved alpenrose is an
evergreen shrub that grows just above the
tree line in the
Alps,
Pyrenees,
Jura and northern
Apennines
The Apennines or Apennine Mountains (; grc-gre, links=no, Ἀπέννινα ὄρη or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; la, Appenninus or – a singular with plural meaning;''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which wou ...
, on acid soils. It is the type species for the genus ''Rhododendron''.
Description
''Rhododendron ferrugineum'' may grow up to tall and produces clusters of pinkish-red, bell-shaped flowers throughout the summer. The undersides of the leaves are covered in rust-brown spots, which give the species the second part of its
binomial name
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
(''
ferrugineum'',
Latin for 'rust-coloured, ferruginous'). This is in contrast to ''
Rhododendron hirsutum'', which has no such brown colouring, has hairy edges to the leaves and grows over
limestone. Where the two species co-occur (usually on soils of intermediate
pH), the
hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...
''Rhododendron × intermedium'' may occur; as its name suggests, it is intermediate in form between the two parental species.
Habitat
''Rhododendron ferrugineum'' grows primarily on acidic siliceous soils, whereas its close relative ''
Rhododendron hirsutum'' grows on basic carbonate-rich soils. These two types of soils frequently occur near each other in the Alps.
Toxicity
''Rhododendron ferrugineum'' is moderately
toxic, containing
arbutin,
arecoline and
rhodoxanthin
Rhodoxanthin is a xanthophyll pigment with a purple color that is found in small quantities in a variety of plants including ''Taxus baccata'' and '' Lonicera morrowii''. It is also found in the feathers of some birds. As a food additive it is ...
, and can cause
vomiting, and difficulties of the
digestive,
nervous,
respiratory and
circulatory systems.
Rhododendron (Alpen Rose - Snow-rose - Rusty-leaved Alpenrose)
/ref>
References
External links
ferrugineum
Alpine flora
Flora of the Alps
Flora of Andorra
Plants described in 1753
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Flora of the Pyrenees
{{Ericaceae-stub