Rhododendron neoglandulosum
Encyclopedia
Rhododendron neoglandulosum (formerly Ledum glandulosum) is a species of rhododendron
known by the common names western Labrador tea and trapper's tea. It is a common shrub
of western North America from British Columbia
to California
to Colorado
, where it grows in moist areas such as bog
s and marsh
es. This is an erect evergreen shrub exceeding a meter in maximum height with hairless bark along the stem and glandular or nonglandular hairs on the newer twigs. The leathery leaves are oval-shaped and up to about 3.5 centimeters long. They are fuzzy and glandular on the undersides. The inflorescence
s appear at the ends of branches. They are racemes of small white to cream or yellowish flowers with five rounded petals and 8 to 10 protruding stamen
s. The fruit is a capsule containing winged seeds. A number of Native American peoples boiled the leaves of this shrub to make tea
.
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
known by the common names western Labrador tea and trapper's tea. It is a common shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
of western North America from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, where it grows in moist areas such as bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
s and marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es. This is an erect evergreen shrub exceeding a meter in maximum height with hairless bark along the stem and glandular or nonglandular hairs on the newer twigs. The leathery leaves are oval-shaped and up to about 3.5 centimeters long. They are fuzzy and glandular on the undersides. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s appear at the ends of branches. They are racemes of small white to cream or yellowish flowers with five rounded petals and 8 to 10 protruding stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s. The fruit is a capsule containing winged seeds. A number of Native American peoples boiled the leaves of this shrub to make tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
.
See also
Labrador teaLabrador tea
Labrador tea is a name commonly applied to three closely related species:* Rhododendron tomentosum ,...