Syn.: Adodendron chamaecistus (L.) Kuntze, Chamaecistus austriacus Regel, Rhododendron chamaecistus L.
Family: Ericaceae Juss.
Distribution: Endemic to the Eastern Alps, occurs in Italy, Austria, Slovenia and Germany.
Ecology: It grows on limestone rocks, stony slopes and screes, from mountains to alpine zone, up to 2400 m asl. It blooms from June to July.
Description: Evergreen dwarf shrubs, 20–40 cm tall. Leaves alternate, subsessile, elliptic-oblanceolate, 5–10 × 2–4 mm, entire or crenulate. Flowers in groups of 1–3, on long pedicels in the axils of leaves, pentamerous, sepals connate at the base, 5–6 mm, corolla rotate, 20–30 mm in diameter, pale pink. Fruit is a capsule.
Note: The genus Rhodothamnus probably contains only 2 species – Rhodothamnus chamaecistus is endemic to the Eastern Alps, and Rhodothamnus sessilifolius is endemic to the northeastern part of Turkey.
These images were taken in Austria, Raxalpe (June 19, 2004).
