Camellia azalea, native to the Ehuangzhang Provincial Nature Reserve in Yangchun City, Guangdong, China, is a national first-class protected plant in China.[3] The Chinese name of Camellia azalea is 杜鹃叶山茶/Rhododendron leaf camellia (dù juān yè shān chá),[4] because of its rhododendron-like leaf shape. Compared with other camellia species, the flower of Camellia azalea is more like Rhododendron, so it is commonly known as 杜鹃红山茶/Rhododendron red camellia.[5] It is also commonly known as 四季紅山茶/Four Seasons Red Camellia or 四季茶花/Four Seasons Camellia, because it can flower throughout the year, July-September is the most prosperous period of flowering, which is different from the habit of Camellia flowering in winter.[6]

Camellia azalea
A specimen in the Kunming Botanical Garden, Kunming, Yunnan, China. 2011
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Theaceae
Genus: Camellia
Species:
C. azalea
Binomial name
Camellia azalea
C.F.Wei[2]
Synonyms[2]

Camellia changii (C.X.Ye)

It is a small tree or an evergreen shrub, and grows up to 4 meters tall. The plant tends to grow bright red flowers that can be found in clusters of 1 to 5 and of a size of 9-10cm in diameter.[7] Camellia azalea is a Critically Endangered species.[8]


References edit

  1. ^ Rivers, M.C.; Wheeler, L. (2015). "Camellia azalea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015. IUCN: e.T191808A97170940.
  2. ^ a b "Camellia azalea". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Camellia azalea C.F.Wei". Taipei Collectible Botanical Garden. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  4. ^ "杜鹃叶山茶" (in Chinese). iPlant.cn 植物智. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  5. ^ "The giant panda in the plant kingdom—Rhododendron red camellia" (in Chinese). 自然生态保护共享平台. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Camellia azalea C.F.Wei". Taipei Collectible Botanical Garden. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  7. ^ "NParks | Camellia azalea". www.nparks.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 31 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Camellia azalea". Global Trees. Archived from the original on 2022-01-18. Retrieved 2021-12-31.