Camellia azalea

Camellia azalea
A specimen in the Kunming Botanical Garden, Kunming, Yunnan, China. 2011
Conservation status
Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific 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)

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]

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]

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  Fruit. Ovary 3- or 4-locular.

References

1. Rivers, M.C.; Wheeler, L. (2016) [errata version of 2015 assessment]. "Camellia azalea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T191808A97170940. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T191808A2005533.en.
2. "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.