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Rhododendron campanulatum D. Don, Mem. Wern. Nat. Hist. Soc. 3: 410 1821. (syn: Azalea campanulata (D.Don) Kuntze; Rhododendron batemanii Hook.f.; Rhododendron edgarii Gamble; Rhododendron heftii Davidian; Rhododendron mutabile Webb ex Royle; Rhododendron nobile Wall.; Rhododendron planifolium Nutt.; Rhododendron wallichii Hook.f.) as per POWO;
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Shrub with leaves brownish hairy beneath and white flowers spotted with purple inside;
When fully flourishing extensively branched plants make an impenetrable fence;
White-blue flowers in comparatively smaller trusses;
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Interestingly, R.arboreum (Blood red Rhodo) grow at 1500-2500m altitude, R.barbatum (Pink Rhodo) at 2400-3400m and R.campanulatum (White-blue Rhodo) at 3000-4400m in Uttarakhand and flowering pass from lower species to higher one.
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It is a major source of firewood to the Shepherds occupying alpine zones in Uttarakhand on account of its ability to burn even when it is wet in rain.
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Rhododendrons are about to bloom: Sir J.D.Hooker, well known Taxonomist, when visited the Himalaya he was amazed by the tree form Rhododendrons here. Later he carried many of them to Kew, UK for cultivation and large numbers of ornamental Rhododendrons in Europe now have a Himalayan blood too. Maximum numbers of Rhododendron species in the world occur in the Himalaya but their diversity reduces when one moves from Eastern Himalaya to Western Himalaya. In Uttarakhand only six species are known to occur. These are Rhododendron anthopogon, R.arboreum, R.barbatum, R.campanulatum, R.lepidotum and R.nivale. Of these R.arboreum and R.barbatum are trees, R.campanulatum is a tall shrub and rest are dwarf shrubs.
Rhododendrons will unfurl their trusses of flowers only from late Feb. – May in Himalayan highland. Meanwhile I am enclosing pics of one of them taken last year.
This species Rhododendron campanulatum, known as “Simru” in Garhwal, is found at timberline areas (3000-3600m) in almost all the alpine zones of Uttarakhand, including Valley of Flowers. When fully flourishing extensively branched plants make an impenetrable fence. It is a major source of firewood to the Shepherds occupying alpine zones in Uttarakhand on account of its ability to burn even when it is wet in rain. Wow, Nice photographs. Thanks a lot … for sharing the pics and the information. I liked the composition of first photograph showing Habitat. Excellent pictures!! Thanks for sharing one of my favourite plants. The journey through the Singba Rhododendron Santuary in Yumthang valley of Sikkim during spring seems like heaven. Mora than 25 spp of Rhodo are found here & there is a festival during April-May called “Rhododendron Festival”. I am leading a team on the trail described by J.D.Hooker between 7-15 Apr 2013.. A lone (male) vacancy exists in the team. Anyone interested must rush to secure.
Rhododendron campanulatum in bloom : Attachments (4). 3 posts by 3 authors.
Rhododendron campanulatum is a timberline Krumholtz (crooked wood) species making impenetrable thickets. It blooms after R.arboreum and R.barbatum in Uttarakhand. Interestingly, R.arboreum (Blood red Rhodo) grow at 1500-2500m altitude, R.barbatum (Pink Rhodo) at 2400-3400m and R.campanulatum (White-blue Rhodo) at 3000-4400m in Uttarakhand and flowering pass from lower species to higher one.
R.campanulatum has started flowering with its white-blue flowers in comparatively smaller trusses. Petals have distinct nectar guides (spots). These trees are flowering while the snow was seen still persisting over the ground below trees.
Photographed near Khalya Top (3400m), Munsyari area Uttarakhand on 25.3.2013. Excellent shots … Yet to see this in bloom despite of our 3 visits to Munsiyari area. Thanks for Showing
Ericaceae (incl. Vacciniaceae) Fortnight: Rhododendron campanulatum from above Chopta, Uttarakhand-GSAPR16 : 1 post by 1 author. Attachments (3).
Ericaceae (incl. Vacciniaceae) Fortnight: Another Rhododendron sp from above Tungnath for ID -GSAPR29 : 5 posts by 4 authors. Attachments (4).
Another Rhododendron sp. for ID above Tungnath, Uttarakhand alt. 3600 m for ID. Rhododendron campanulatum – Kahmiri patha. This should slso be Rhododendron campanulatum. Correctly id as R. campanulatum
Species identification : 4 posts by 4 authors. Attachments (3) The First two look like Rhododendron sp. .jpeg = DG_WF13_MG_1084
Rhododendron campanulatum D. Don (fr. Churdhar) : VG-JUL-13 : 5 posts by 4 authors. Attachments (4)
Sharing some images of the gregarious Rhododendron campanulatum from the higher reaches of Churdhar.
Photographed on 26 May 2015. Yes a beautiful Rhododendron of the Himalaya. Here in Uttarakhand it reaches up to 4200m elevation. Architecture of plant is peculiar. Beautiful pics … thanks, I could not share much of my pics, hope so very soon !!
Fwd: Undersides of Rhododendron campanulatum leaves : 1 post by 1 author. Attachments (2)
Further to my posts about R.campanulatum, I attach 2 images of the white indumentum on the undersides of these leaves. The colour varies and changes with age.
The specimens had been collected by staff of the University of Kashmir below Sinthan Pass, Kashmir, if my memory serves me correctly.
Rhododendron campanulatum ABMAY2017/06 : 3 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (10)
I trekked to Kareri lake on Monday with friends and was glad to find the pink rhododendron, our state flower. I have been looking for this for a while and found hundreds of them growing near the lake at 3300m. I saw the first shrub at about 2900m.
I am very familiar with R. arboreum and noticed the differences between that and R. campanulatum;
The first is a tree that can sometime be quite large while the second is a shrub.
The first has more elongated leaves with silvery undersides, the second more oval with woolly brown undersides.
The first has no discernible aroma, the second has a delicate pleasing smell.
The maturing ovaries are hairy on the first and smooth on the second.
The first has red flowers but can sometime bear light pink flowers while the second has nearly white to dark pink flowers.
Rhododendron campanulatum
Kareri Lake and just below
2900-3300m
15-16 May 2017
You also bring the beauty of the place live. Thanks, … Beautiful …, We had seen this near Churdhar, in profuse flowering….!!
Ericaceae (incl. Vacciniaceae) Fortnight: Rhododendron campanulatum from below Tungnath Pl. Validate -GSAPR17 : 3 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (3). Sirji, these are correctly identified by you as R. campanulatum var. campanulatum
Ericaceae (inc. Vacciniaceae) Fotnight: Rhododendron campanulatum from Kullu in Himachal Pradesh-GSG APR-05 : 7 posts by 6 authors.
The Pink Rhododendron, i.e. Rhododendron campanulatum forms a very prominent shrub layer along timber line (3300 to 3600 m asl).
It is the State Flower of Himachal Pradesh.
Its leaves are traded as ‘Kashmiri Patta’ as raw drug.
The above photographs taken near Jalori Pass in Kullu district. Your identification is correct—Rhododendron campanulatum Beautiful pictures of the landscape as well as close up… This Rhodo called “Simru” in Uttarakhand makes the upper end of forests on mountain slopes. A typical krumholz species making impenetrable thickets.
Ericaceae (incl. Vacciniaceae) Fortnight: Pink flowered Rhododendron campanulatum from below Tungnath Pl. Validate -GSAPR18 : 6 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (4).
Pink flowered Rhododendron campanulatum with abnormal petals please validate. Photographed from below Tungnath, Uttarakhand. Its R. campanulatum. Yes, this is mainly due to erratic behavior of weather in that particular zone This should be Rhododendron campanulatum Seems an abnormal form of R. campanulatum.
Rhodendron: During my last Birding trip to Tungnath (Garhwall Himalayas) I noticed many types of Rhodendron flowers and other but require the id for classification and sorting. Place : Tungnath Mountains (Uttarakhand)
Altitude : 12000 ft Date : 3rd June 2011 Habitat : seen in the slopes of Tungnath mountains. I saw light pink, white and purple varieties.
I think RHODODENDRON… yes the leaves remind me of the rhododenrons I have seen… and the flower grouping may be so…
VoF Week: Tree at VoF for ID.:
Seen this small Tree in its fruiting stage at VoF.. Date/Time: 08-08-2012/01:30PM. I am pretty certain fruits are of rhododendron, but am surprised to see the browned out leaves in AUgust??? Yes Rhododendron campanulatum May be The leaves are quite green and fresh…the under surface has brown tomentum… Yes, both pictures are of Rhododendron sp. BUT perhaps both do not show the same species… might be individuals of the two species are present in close associations. I think first image is more closer to images at Rhododendron arboreum Rhododendron campanulatum only. … is correct this is definitely Rhododendron campanulatum with which I am most familiar in the NW Himalaya. Life is so much simpler with Rhododendrons in the NW Himalaya as there are only 4 species recorded: R.anthopogon, R.arboreum and R.campanulatum.
Further East in the Himalaya there are 40+. I have some images of R.campanulatum at the fruiting stage, which if I can locate them, shall post shortly. Cannot recollect if I have any images of R.arboreum at fruiting stage for comparison purposes. In Uttarakhand there is also R.barbatum and a more recently described species.
Please note the correct spelling of Rhododendron arboreum – which MS software changes to R.arboretum! Just as it changes Meconopsis aculeate to Meconopsis aculeate, in error!
Only R.anthopogon, campaulatum & lepidotum are listed as found in the ‘Valley of Flowers’ within Smythe’s book (with R.barbatum in a Supplementary List).
I have never been to VoF but in the NW Himalaya the indumentum on the undersides of R.campanulatum leaves varies considerably, though is often cinnamon-coloured. Sometimes, early on, it is even white.
R.campanulatum is typically found between 2850-4300m in Kashmir (according to Stewart, though Coventry only knew it from 3000-3600m), the branches often prostrate having been pressed down by snow. I have seen the plant on the Rohtang and making a fine display on the southern-slopes of the Baspa Valley above Chiktul in Kinnaur. This shrub is plentiful on the lower slopes of Aphawat. I understand that the leaves & twigs are said to have medicinal properties (incl. in Tibetan Medicine). The leaves are not eaten by goats and are considered poisonous to them.
All plant species vary. The typical shape of R.campanulatum leaves varies from broadly elliptic to oval. The typical shape of R.arboreum leaves is oblong to lanceolate.
As for Rhododendron arboreum, this is limited to 1200-2400m in N.Pakistan & Kashmir. It is much more common eastward. I have seen it at Shimla & Mussorie, where it is common. R.campanulatum was recorded on ‘The Chor’ by Collett.
So these two species would not be expected to be found growing together in the W.Himalaya or Uttarakhand for that matter, which I consider (I trust not too controversially) to be part of the ‘Central’ Himalaya in floristic terms, rather than ‘West’ or East’; there are quite a number of species, as … knows far better than I, which are at their NW limit in Uttarakhand, not found in NW Himalaya (Kashmir or Himachal Pradesh, though there are some found in Himachal Pradesh which do not extend into Kashmir territory – at least as far as is known). I do not find that the division of the Himalaya into just ‘West’ or ‘East’ covers the flora satisfactorily. 2 or more Rhododendron species may be found together further East. e.g. in Nepal. In Uttarakhand we also have a single population of Rhododendron nivale in Upper Bhadirathi valley at Nandan Van (4400-4500m) few kms upward of Gaumukh glacier.
Except this record, R.nivale is known in Nepal-Bhutan in the Himalaya.         SK1191 10 JUNE 2018 : 5 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (8)- around 600 kb each.
Location: Sandakphu, India
Date: 13 May 2018
Altitude: 10000 ft.
Habit : Wild
ID for this Rhododendron please !
Pl. check at /species/a—l/e/ericaceae/rhododendron
Rhododendron campanulatum D. Don ?? Thanks, …, To me also appear close to images at Rhododendron campanulatum D. Don
Rhododendron campanulatum, Tunganath trek : 4 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (5) Rhododendron campanulatum,
we saw this on the Tunganath trek
at an altitude of about varying from 9,000 to 12,000 feet
in the first week of may 2018
SK876 24 NOV-2017:ID : 3 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (3) Not a easy job to ID again without inflorescence.
Which Rhododendron ..???
Image Credit : Sameer Kasaju
Yes you are right until one is aware of these in the area. Rhododendron wallichii Hook.f. ! . Rhododendron for ID from above Tungnath, Uttarakhand-GS09012022-5: 2 high res. images. I guess Rhododendron campanulatum D. Don Earlier uploaded … also identified as R. campanulatum . White form of Rhododendron campanulatum for validation-09012022-3: 6 very high res. images. Yes, appears so as per images at Rhododendron campanulatum D. Don . Rhododendron campanulatum for validation-GS09012022-2: 6 very high res. images. I guess ID is correct ! Yes, to me also appears close to images at Rhododendron campanulatum D. Don . Rhododendron campanulatum en route Dev Kyara – PKA8: 1 0 images. I guess the ID is correct !
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