''Rhododendron ferrugineum'', the alpenrose, snow-rose, or rusty-leaved alpenrose is an

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...

shrub that grows just above the

tree line The tree line is the edge of the habitat at which trees are capable of growing. It is found at high elevations and high latitudes. Beyond the tree line, trees cannot tolerate the environmental conditions (usually cold temperatures, extreme snowp ...

in the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...

, 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 Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

for 'rust-coloured, ferruginous'). This is in contrast to ''

Rhododendron hirsutum ''Rhododendron hirsutum'', commonly known as the hairy alpenrose is one of the species of ''Rhododendron'' native to the mountains of Europe. It occurs widely in the Alps except for the southwestern region (approximately south and west of the Mat ...

'', which has no such brown colouring, has hairy edges to the leaves and grows over

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

. 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 ''

'' 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 Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subst ...

, containing

arbutin Arbutin is a glycoside; a glycosylated hydroquinone extracted from the bearberry plant in the genus ''Arctostaphylos'' among many other medicinal plants, primarily in the family Ericaceae. Applied topically, it inhibits tyrosinase and thus preve ...

arecoline Arecoline () is a nicotinic acid-based mild parasympathomimetic stimulant alkaloid found in the areca nut, the fruit of the areca palm (''Areca catechu''). It is an odourless oily liquid. It can bring a sense of enhanced alertness and energy, eu ...

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 Vomiting (also known as emesis and throwing up) is the involuntary, forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the Human nose, nose. Vomiting can be the result of ailments like Food-poisoning, foo ...

, and difficulties of the digestive, nervous,

respiratory The respiratory system (also respiratory apparatus, ventilatory system) is a biological system consisting of specific organs and structures used for gas exchange in animals and plants. The anatomy and physiology that make this happen varies grea ...

and

circulatory system The blood circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, tha ...

s.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