Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Ericales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Rhododendron eastmanii
FAMILY
Ericaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
"This first described as a species in 1999." Read more from the South Carolina Plant Conservation Alliance.
R. eastmanii is a member of what the Azalea Society of America refers to as "the white group". Read more here.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Rhododendron eastmanii
FAMILY
Ericaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Rhododendron eastmanii
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Rhododendron eastmanii
INCLUDED WITHIN (MISAPPLIED) VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 145-05-008:
Rhododendron alabamense FAMILY Ericaceae
COMMON NAME:
May White Azalea, Eastman's Azalea
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Wesley Burnett gwb070528_0653
May Laurens County SC
Sumter National Forest: Tyger Ranger District
It should be sought in NC & GA, approaching within 4 miles of the NC border, per Weakley's Flora.
)
JK Marlow jkm070528_067
May Laurens County SC
Sumter National Forest: Tyger Ranger District
Fully expanded and mature stems and leaves at bloom time, in mid-May, per American Azaleas (Towe, 2004).
)
JK Marlow jkm070528_077
May Laurens County SC
Sumter National Forest: Tyger Ranger District
Previous reports of R. alabamense in SC are based on this species, per Weakley's Flora.
)
Keith Bradley kab_r_eastmanii_6443
May Newberry County SC
Lynch's Woods Park
)
Keith Bradley kab_r_eastmanii_6451
May Newberry County SC
Lynch's Woods Park
)
Keith Bradley kab_r_eastmanii_6495
May Newberry County SC
Lynch's Woods Park
Yellow-blotched white flowers with few or no sticky tube glands, per American Azaleas (Towe, 2004).
)
Bill Sharpton gws1934_a
May? SC
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Rhododendron eastmanii
FAMILY
Ericaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Rhododendron eastmanii
FAMILY
Ericaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Rhododendron eastmanii
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Rhododendron eastmanii
INCLUDED WITHIN (MISAPPLIED)
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 145-05-008:
Rhododendron alabamense
FAMILY
Ericaceae
1934
Shrub
Perennial
Habitat: Rich slopes, per Weakley's Flora
Native to South Carolina
Uncommon in SC Piedmont, rare in SC Coastal Plain
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Deciduous
Simple
Alternate
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
White
Slightly bilaterally symmetrical
5-lobed calyx
5-lobed funnelform corolla
5 stamens
Superior ovary
Bisexual
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- American Azaleas (Towe, 2004) p032
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 1st ed. (Porcher & Rayner, 2001) p284
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p247
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004) p291
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".