Pentanthera (section)

Taxobox
name = "Rhododendron" sect. "Pentanthera"

---

image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Rhododendron luteum"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Ericales
familia = Ericaceae
genus = "Rhododendron"
subgenus = "Pentanthera"
sectio = "Pentanthera"
sectio_authority = G.Don
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text

"Rhododendron" sect. "Pentanthera" is a section of subgenus "Pentanthera" in the genus "Rhododendron". It comprises 15-16 species of deciduous shrubs native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

It includes two subsections:
* Pentathera
* Sinensia

ubsection Pentanthera (14 species)

;Selected species
*"Rhododendron alabamense"
*"Rhododendron arborescens"
*"Rhododendron atlanticum"
*"Rhododendron austrinum"
*"Rhododendron calendulaceum"
*"Rhododendron canescens"
*"Rhododendron cumberlandense"
*"Rhododendron flammeum"
*"Rhododendron luteum"
*"Rhododendron occidentale"
*"Rhododendron periclymenoides"
*"Rhododendron prinophyllum"
*"Rhododendron prunifolium"
*"Rhododendron viscosum" (Swamp azalea)

ubsection Sinensia (1 species)

;Selected species
*"Rhododendron molle" (syn. "R. japonicum")

The section is closely related to sect. "Rhodora", differing from it in the flower corolla having five fully developed lobes, whereas sect. "Rhodora" has the upper three lobes joined into a single three-lipped lobe.

Cultivation

Most (but not all) of the cultivated azaleas belong to species in this section, and hybrids derived from them.

References

* [http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?19858 Germplasm Resources Information Network: "Rhododendron" sect. "Pentanthera"]
*Huxley, A., ed. (1992). "New RHS Dictionary of Gardening". Macmillan.