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Rhododendron niveum Hook. f.

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Vernacular name: State Tree of Sikkim

English: Bell Snow Rhododendron, Snow leaved Rhododendron

Kumaoni: Burans

Nepali: Gurans

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Plantae – plantes, Planta, Vegetal, plants

Subkingdom: Viridiplantae

Infrakingdom: Streptophyta– land plants

Superdivision: Embryophyta

Division: Tracheophyta– vascular plants, tracheophytes

Subdivision: Spermatophytina– spermatophytes, seed plants, phanérogames

Class: Magnoliopsida

Superorder: Asteranae

Order: Ericales

Family: Ericaceae– heaths, éricacées

Genus: Rhododendron L. – azaleas, rhododendron

Species:Rhododendron niveum Hook. f. - Bell Snow Rhododendron, Snow leaved Rhododendron

Phytogeography:It is native to Northeast India, Bhutan and southern Tibet.

Plant description: Shrub to small trees, 2-5 meters high, generallybranched at base. Stems cracked and fissured by flakes.

Leaves: Leaves oblong-lanceolate,10-25 × 4-5 cm, shining green above, tomentose, snow-white below, turningsilvery grey on maturity.

Flowers: Inflorescence is large, globose, 15-20 cm. Flowers inclusters of 15 – 20; corolla tubular-campanulate, smoky blue to purple-mauve.

Fruits or seeds: Ripe fruits can be seen upto December

Flowering season: April-May

Propagation: Seeds, cuttings

Parts used: Leaves

Phytochemical Constituents: Caffeic acid; Chlorogenic acid; Ellagic acid; Gallic acid; Kaempferol; Phenolic acids; Protocatechin acid; Querecetin; Rutin;

Pharmacological actions: Antioxidant; Cardioprotective; Free radical scavanger;

Medicinal uses: Cardiopathy;

Other uses: The plants are having aesthetic value and are beingcultivated in gardens through Europe and America. It is also used in horticulture forgrafting and hybridization. Socio-economic uses are not recorded.

References

ITIS, 2017, “Rhododendron L.,” Integrated Taxonomic Information System on-line database, April4, 2017. [Web Reference]

Kholia B.S., “SIKKIM,”Sikkim Himalayan Regional Centre, Botanical Survey of India, Gangtok. [Web Reference]

Prakash D., et al.,2007, “Free-radical scavenging activities of Himalayan rhododendrons,” Current Science; 92(4):526-532. [Web Reference]

Singh K.K., et al.,2010, “The Influence of temperature, light and pre-treatment on the seed germination of critically endangered Sikkim Himalayan rhododendron (R. niveum Hook f.),” Journal of American Science; 6(8): 173-177. [Web Reference]

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