Rhododendron viscosum

Family:ERICACEAE
Species:Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
Common Name:Swamp Azalea; Clammy Azalea
Habitat:Edges of swamps and ponds.
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Shrub
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:RHVI2
Plant Notes:Swamp Azalea is a native deciduous shrub in the Heath family (Ericaceae). It is native to most of the state. Swamp Azalea occurs in swamps, in bogs, in seeps, in wet flatwoods, and on mountain top balds. It is a colonial rhizomatous shrub from 1-5 feet in height. The bark is smooth and gray in color. Young twigs are reddish-brown in color and pubescent. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, ovate to obovate in outline, and pubescent with non-glandular hairs. The leaves are dark green above and light green below. The leaves are ciliate along the margins with hairs that curl under the margin of the leaf. Leaves turn yellow in the autumn before falling. Flowers are produced from terminal buds on last season’s shoots. There are 3-8 white, fragrant flowers per inflorescence. The flowers are produced in the summer, well after the leaves have matured. Individual flowers are funnelform with 5 spreading lobes. The corolla tube and outer surface of the corolla are densely pubescent with stalked glands. The stamens and style are long exserted. The buds are often tinged light pink. The fruit is a glandular pubescent capsule. Swamp Azalea is available from some nurseries. It prefers a moist, organic rich soil. Swamp Azalea can tolerate considerable shade and still flower.—A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Native, FACW+ (NWI), G5 (Global Rank)
References:**
Specimen: View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyERICACEAE - Heath family
Genus Rhododendron
Species Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr. - Swamp Azalea; Clammy Azalea

Citation

Citation Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey, Fl. N. Middle United States 1: 424. 1824.
Basionym: Azalea viscosa L. 1753.
Type: USA: VIRGINIA: Without data, Kalm s.n. (lectotype: LINN 215.4). Lectotypified by Kron, Edinburgh J. Bot. 50: 329. 1993.

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
Anthodendron viscosum Anthodendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Reichenbach, in Moessler, Handb. Gewaechsk., ed. 2. 1: 309. 1827.Azalea viscosa Linnaeus 1753. 
Azalea glauca Azalea glauca Lamarck, Tabl. Encycl. 1: 493, t. 110(2). 1793.  
Azalea glauca var. hispida Azalea glauca Lamarck, var. hispida (Pursh) Heynhold, Nom. Bot. Hort. 108. 1840.Azalea hispida Pursh 1814. 
Azalea glauca var. rosea Azalea glauca Lamarck, var. rosea Jaeger, Ziergeh. 118. 1865.  
Azalea hispida Azalea hispida Pursh, Fl. Amer. Sept. 154. 1814. "New York and Pennsylvania"
Azalea lucida Azalea lucida Meerburgh, Pl. Select. Icon. Pict. t. 7. 1798.  
Azalea nitida Azalea nitida Pursh, Fl. Amer. Sept. 153. 1814. "New York to Virginia"
Azalea viscosa subsp. glauca Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, subsp. glauca (Michaux ex Torrey) W. Stone, Pl. S. New Jersey 614. 1912 ("1911").Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey, var. glaucum Michaux ex Torrey 1824; Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, var. glauca Michaux 1803, non Aiton 1789. 
Azalea viscosa var. aemulans Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, var. aemulans (Rehder) Ashe, J. Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc. 38: 91. 1922.Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey, var. aemulans Rehder 1921. 
Azalea viscosa var. alba Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, var. alba Ludwig, Neuere Wilde Baumz. 6. 1783.  
Azalea viscosa var. floribunda Azalea viscosa L., var. floribunda Aiton, Hort. Kew. 1: 203. 1789.  
Azalea viscosa var. glauca Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, var. glauca Michaux, Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 151. 1803, non Aiton 1789. SOUTH CAROLINA:
Azalea viscosa var. hispida Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, var. hispida (Pursh) Hooker, Companion Bot. Mag. 1: 100. 1835.Azalea hispida Pursh 1814. 
Azalea viscosa var. montana Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, var. montana (Rehder) Ashe, J. Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc. 38: 91. 1922.Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey, var. montanum Rehder 1921. 
Azalea viscosa var. nitida Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, var. nitida (Pursh) A. Gray, Manual, ed. 2. 257. 1856.Azalea nitida Pursh 1814. 
Azalea viscosa var. palustris Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, var. palustris Marshall, Arbust. Amer. 16. 1785.  
Azalea viscosa var. rubescens Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, var. rubescens Loddiges, Bot. Cab. 16: t. 1518. 1829.  
Azalea viscosa var. tomentosa Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, var. tomentosa Dumont de Courset, Bot. Cult., ed. 2. 3: 336. 1811.  
Azalea viscosa var. virens Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, var. virens Michaux, Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 151. 1803. SOUTH CAROLINA
Azalea serrulata Azalea serrulata Small, Fl. S.E. U.S. 883, 1336. 1903. FLORIDA: Lake Co.: Vicinity of Eustis, 1-15 Jun 1894, Nash 967 (holotype: NY).
Azalea viscosa Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 151. 1753. VIRGINIA: Without data, Kalm s.n. (lectotype: LINN 215.4). Lectotypified by Kron, Edinburgh J. Bot. 50: 329. 1993.
Azalea viscosa var. glauca Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, var. glauca Aiton, Hort. Kew. 1: 204. 1789.  
Rhododendron coryi Rhododendron coryi Shinners, Castanea 26: 156. 1961. TEXAS: Tyler Co.: Hyatt Bog 2 mi. S of Warren, 18 Apr 1950, Cory 57145 (holotype: SMU).
Rhododendron glaucum Rhododendron glaucum (Aiton) Sweet, Hort. Brit., ed. 2. 344. 1830.Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, var. glauca Aiton 1789. 
Rhododendron hispidum Rhododendron hispidum (Pursh) Torrey, Fl. N. Middle United States 1: 425. 1824.Azalea hispida Pursh 1814. 
Rhododendron nitidum Rhododendron nitidum (Pursh) Torrey, Fl. N. Middle United States 1: 425. 1824.Azalea nitida Pursh 1814. 
Rhododendron serrulatum Rhododendron serrulatum (Small) Millais, Rhododendrons 241. 1917.Azalea serrulata Small 1903. 
Rhododendron serrulatum var. georgianum Rhododendron serrulatum (Small) Millais, var. georgianum Rehder, in E. H. Wilson & Rehder, Monogr. Azaleas 156. 1921. GEORGIA: Charlton Co.: Folkston, 16 Jul 1918, Harbison 68 (holotype: A?).
Rhododendron viscosum var. aemulans Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey, var. aemulans Rehder, in E. H. Wilson & Rehder, Monogr. Azaleas 165. 1921. GEORGIA: Randolph Co.: Near Cuthbert, 9 May 1918, Harbison 39 (holotype: A?).
Rhododendron viscosum var. glaucum Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey, var. glaucum Michaux ex Torrey, Fl. N. Middle United States 425. 1824.Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, var. glauca Michaux 1803. 
Rhododendron viscosum var. hispidum Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey, var. hispidum (Pursh) C. K. Schneider, Ill. Handb. Laubholzk. 2: 502. 1911.Azalea hispida Pursh 1814. 
Rhododendron viscosum var. montanum Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey, var. montanum Rehder, in E. H. Wilson & Rehder, Monogr. Azaleas 164. 1921. NORTH CAROLINA: Macon Co.: Highlands, 30 Sep 1918, Harbison 58 (holotype: A?).
Rhododendron viscosum var. nitidum Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey, var. nitidum (Pursh) A. Gray, Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 2(1): 41. 1878.Azalea nitida Pursh 1814. 
Rhododendron viscosum var. tomentosum Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey, var. tomentosum (Dumont de Courset) Rehder, in E. H. Wilson & Rehder, Monogr. Azaleas 162. 1921.Azalea viscosa Linnaeus, var. tomentosa Dumont de Courset 1811. 
Rhododendron viscosum var. serrulatum Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey, var. serrulatum (Small) Ahles, J. Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc. 80: 173. 1964.Azalea serrulata Small 1903. 

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Baldwin, Barbour, Butler, Calhoun, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Escambia, Etowah, Franklin, Geneva, Henry, Jefferson, Lee, Marion, Mobile, Monroe, Pike, Randolph, St. Clair, Talladega, Tuscaloosa

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AUA, JSU, SAMF, TROY, UNA, USAM, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1896 - 1997

Barcode / Accession No. County Coll. Date Collector &
Collection No.
Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used
Image
SAMF0004076 Calhoun 07 Jun 2005 Davenport, Lawrence J.
3222
SAMF
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
AUA_ACC_26029 Mobile 20 Aug 1968 Kral, Robert
32688
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
UNA00013490 Mobile 23 Jul 1949 Segars, Charles B.
187
UNA
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
AUA_ACC_58068 Pike 5 Aug 1998 Diamond, Alvin R.
11424
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
UNA00013465 _ Jul 1874 Mohr, Charles
s.n.
UNA
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
AUA000032642 Covington 7 May 2011 Hansen, Curtis J.
5051
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
SAMF0004077 Jefferson 14 May 2007 Davenport, Lawrence J.
3715
SAMF
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
AUA_ACC_7018 Escambia 8 May 1960 Watson, Jr., J.Ray
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
ALNHS00001287 Baldwin 24 Jul 2012 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#671
ALNHS
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
USAM000005708 Baldwin 20 Apr 1974 LeLong, Michel G.
7629
USAM
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
AUA000035552 Covington 14 Jul 2011 Hansen, Curtis J.
5117
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
TROY000032555 Barbour 26 Apr 2011 Diamond, Alvin R.
21991
TROY
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
UWAL0030529 Covington 26 Jul 1991 Kral, Robert
79154
UWAL
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
JSU122237 Randolph 11 Apr 1974 Atkinson, Tim A.
114
JSU
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
UWAL0011853 Cleburne 29 Jun 2012 Keener, Brian R.
7384
UWAL
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
AUA_ACC_43827 Conecuh 10 May 1985 Diamond, Alvin R.
559
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
AUA_ACC_51889 Covington 25 Jul 1993 Diamond, Alvin R.
8732
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
UNA00013460 Chilton 31 May 1980 Meigs, Russell A.
695
UNA
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
USAM000005709 Mobile 17 Jun 1980 LeLong, Michel G.
11155
USAM
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
UNA00013455 Tuscaloosa 06 May 1962 May, Meredith
95
UNA
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
JSU122235 Etowah 30 Jul 1995 Hodge-Spaulding, Lesley M.
4285
JSU
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
JSU122234 Calhoun 18 Apr 1999 Spaulding, Daniel D.
10574
JSU
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
UNA00028835 Monroe 11 May 1993 Burckhalter, Robert
2265
UNA
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
UWAL0007481 Crenshaw 26 May 2008 Diamond, Alvin R.
19339
UWAL
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
UNA00041696 St. Clair 09 Nov 1997 Keener, Brian R.
504
UNA
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
TROY000050585 Clay 28 May 2018 Keener, Brian R.
10678
TROY
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
JSU122236 Etowah 24 Jun 1997 Spaulding, Daniel D.
9946
JSU
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
AUA_ACC_51807 Covington 12 Jul 1991 Diamond, Alvin R.
7579
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
JSU139168 Etowah 21 May 1995 Spaulding, Daniel D.
8182
JSU
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
UNA00057108 Barbour 12 May 1997 MacDonald, John R.
10490
UNA
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
UWAL0004847 Barbour 26 Apr 2011 Diamond, Alvin R.
21991
UWAL
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
UNA00013470 Clay 31 Jul 1896 Mohr, Charles
s.n.
UNA
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
TROY000040880 Cleburne 29 Jun 2012 Keener, Brian R.
7384
TROY
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
AUA_ACC_56526 Crenshaw 23 Jun 1996 Diamond, Alvin R.
10347
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
SAMF0004075 Jefferson 20 Apr 1969 Barclay, Lee
s.n.
SAMF
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
AUA000042670 Covington 16 May 1995 Pancake, Jr., Dale C.
S.N.
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
AUA_ACC_50849 Geneva 17 Oct 1992 Diamond, Alvin R.
8484
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
TROY000018401 Crenshaw 26 May 2008 Diamond, Alvin R.
19339
TROY
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
UWAL0043590 Baldwin 29 Sep 2000 Larsen, Harry S.
498
UWAL
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
TROY000034247 Marion 09 Aug 2009 England, J. Kevin
2158
TROY
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
USAM000005707 Mobile 13 Oct 1978 LeLong, Michel G.
10558
USAM
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
TROY000031158 Talladega 07 Jun 1978 Owsley, C.M.
s.n.
TROY
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
AUA000042404 Baldwin 26 Jul 1926 Wolf, Wolfgang
2625
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
AUA_ACC_70499 Marion 9 Aug 2009 England, J. Kevin
2158
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
AUA_ACC_56225 Butler 19 May 1973 Kral, Robert
50152
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
TROY000018656 Franklin 11 May 1997 Pennington, Tiffany
16
TROY
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
UNA00021635 Cleburne 28 May 1974 Kral, Robert
53067
UNA
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
USAM000005706 Baldwin 14 Aug 1976 LeLong, Michel G.
9382
USAM
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
AUA000042405 Baldwin 9 Jul 1926 Wolf, Wolfgang
2689
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
AUA000040488 Covington 31 May 2012 Hansen, Curtis J.
5600
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
SAMF0004074 Talladega 08 Jun 2005 Davenport, Lawrence J.
3233
SAMF
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
UWAL0007482 Marion 09 Aug 2009 England, J. Kevin
2158
UWAL
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
TROY000004421 Covington 19 May 2006 Miller, Ron
s.n.
TROY
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
AUA_ACC_49404 Henry 25 Aug 1988 Diamond, Alvin R.
5392
AUA
Rhododendron Viscosum (L.) Torr.
UWAL0047407 Clay 28 May 2018 Keener, Brian R.
10678
UWAL
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
SAMF0004078 Cleburne 27 Jun 1984 Davenport, Lawrence J.
2353
SAMF
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
TROY000004422 Pike 25 Apr 1997 Holmes, Jeanese
302
TROY
Rhododendron viscosum (Linnaeus) Torrey
UNA00013475 Lee 16 May 1896 Earle, Franklin S.
s.n.
UNA
Rhododendron viscosum (L.) Torr.
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