Rhodoleia

Scientific Name : Rhodoleia championii Hook. f.
Common Name : Rhodoleia
Chinese Name : 紅花荷、紅苞木、吊鐘王
Family : HAMAMELIDACEAE
Local distribution status : Native species

Anecdotes on plants

Origin Native to Hong Kong and Central Guangdong, it is also distributed in several provinces of China, including Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, and Yunnan, as well as southeast Asia in Indonesia (Sumatra), Western Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
Meanings of Name The specific epithet championii is named after the 19th century British botanist John George Champion, who studied the floras of East Asia. In 1849, he collected a type specimen of Rhodoleia championii on Hong Kong Island. This species is listed in ‘Rare and Precious Plants of Hong Kong’ and is rated as Vulnerable (VU). It is also scheduled under Cap. 96A Forestry Regulations, protected by Hong Kong legislation, i.e. Forestry Regulations Cap. 96A, which states that it is illegal to sell, offer for sale, or have in one's possession or under one's custody or control any portion without legal excuse. The pendulous inflorescence of Rhodoleia resembles a bell and is the largest flower in the genus, earning it the nickname “the King of Hanging Bells”.
Vitality Rhodoleia is fast-growing and prefers a full sun environment.
Ecology Usually grows in forests at altitudes of around 1000 m.
Application The flower of Rhodoleia championii is the largest in Rhodoleia genus, featuring a red color with high ornamental value, making it an ideal and ornamental tree species.

Traits for identification

Growing Habit Evergreen tree.
Height To 12 m tall.
Stem Young branches stout, glabrous, dark brown after drying.
Leaves Leaf blade ovate to broadly ovate, leathery, base broadly cuneate, apex obtuse or subacute, green and glossy adaxially, whitish grey abaxially, usually glabrous or often with brown stellate scales or stellate indumentum that occurs tuberculate when drying; obscurely 3-veined at base, lateral veins 7-9 pairs, conspicuous on both surfaces, reticulate veins inconspicuous.
Flower Inflorescences capitulum, pendulous; peduncle with 5-6 scale-like bracts; involucral bracts ovate, brown-pubescent; bracteoles 5 or 6, scale-like. Petals spathulate. Stamens as long as petals. Ovary glabrous; styles shorter than stamens.
Fruit Infructescence with 5 capsules. Capsule ovoid-globose, without persistent styles, Pericarp thin-woody. The valves on the upper part separated into 4 after drying.
Seed Seeds yellowish brown, flatten.
Flowering Period February to April in Hong Kong.
Fruiting Period May to August in Hong Kong.
Overview of Rhodoleia championii Hook. f..
Young branches stout, glabrous, dark brown after drying.
Leaf blade ovate to broadly ovate, leathery, base broadly cuneate, apex obtuse or subacute, green and glossy adaxially, whitish grey abaxially, usually glabrous or often with brown stellate scales or stellate indumentum that occurs tuberculate when drying; obscurely 3-veined at base, lateral veins 7-9 pairs, conspicuous on both surfaces, reticulate veins inconspicuous.
Inflorescences capitulum, pendulous; peduncle with 5-6 scale-like bracts; involucral bracts ovate, brown-pubescent; bracteoles 5 or 6, scale-like. Petals spathulate. Stamens as long as petals. Ovary glabrous; styles shorter than stamens.
Infructescence with 5 capsules. Capsule ovoid-globose, without persistent styles, Pericarp thin-woody. The valves on the upper part separated into 4 after drying.
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Remarks

Scientific name above is based on Hong Kong Herbarium website:

https://www.herbarium.gov.hk/en/hk-plant-database/plant-detail/index.html?pType=species&oID=5131

 

Scientific Names from Other Databases

―Flora of China: Rhodoleia championii Hook. f.

―GBIF: Rhodoleia championii Hook.

Reference
  1. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). (2018). A Photographic Guide to Common Urban Trees of Hong Kong. 3rd edition. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong. ISBN: 978-988-12021-3-0. pp.46-47
  2. Dave's Garden. (2021). championii. Davesgarden.com.  [Online Edition]. Retrieved 17th August 2023, from: https://davesgarden.com/sitewidesearch.php?q=championii&Search=Search#b
  3. eFloras. (2008). Zanthoxylum avicennae (Lamarck) Candolle, Prodr. Flora of China. [Online Edition]. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA. Retrieved 17th August 2023, from: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200010564[1] [2] 
  4. Global Biodiversity Information Facility.  (2022). Rhodoleia championii Hook. US National Plant Germplasm System. [Online Edition]. Retrieved 17th September 2023, from: https://www.gbif.org/species/7329102
  5. Hong Kong Herbarium, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. (2007-2011). Rhodoleia championii Hook. f. 紅花荷（紅苞木、吊鐘王）. Flora of Hong Kong. [Online Edition]. Retrieved 17th August 2023, from: https://www.herbarium.gov.hk/en/hk-plant-database/plant-detail/index.html?pType=species&oID=5131
  6. Hong Kong Wetland Park. (1998-2024). Biodiversity Corner - Beauty of Wetlands - trees - Rhodoleia. Www.wetlandpark.gov.hk. [Online Edition]. Retrieved 17th August 2023, from: https://www.wetlandpark.gov.hk/en/biodiversity/beauty-of-wetlands/wildlife/rhodoleia-championii
  7. 中國科學院植物誌編輯委員會。（1959-2004）。〈红花荷 Rhodoleia championii Hook. f.〉。《中國植物誌》。[網上版本]。於2023年11月10日擷取自：https://www.iplant.cn/info/Rhodoleia%20championii?t=z
  8. 吴钟亲. (2018). 紅花荷在海南引種栽培模式及早期適應性初報. Forest Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.13456/j.cnki.lykt.2018.03.019
  9. 歐陽卓立。（2017）。《香港觀賞樹木彙編2》。自然探索學會。國際標準書號：978-9-8815-4685-2。p.p. 84-85