''Rhododendron columbianum'', commonly known as western Labrador tea, swamp tea, or muskeg tea, is a shrub that is widespread in the western United States and in western
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
, reported from
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
,
Alberta
Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
,
Washington
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* George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States
* Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A ...
,
Oregon
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,
Idaho
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,
California
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,
Montana
Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...
,
Wyoming
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Utah
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Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...
, and
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
. It grows in wet places from sea level up to . It was formerly known as ''Ledum columbianum''. Its origins date back to the late
Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch (geology), epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.33 to 2.58
Description
''Rhododendron columbianum'' is a shrub up to tall, spreading by means of underground
rhizomes
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...
. The
evergreen
In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...
leaves are ovate to
lanceolate
The following terms are used to describe leaf plant morphology, morphology in the description and taxonomy (biology), taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (that is, the leaf blade or 'lamina' is undivided) or compound (that is, the leaf blade ...
, fragrant when crushed. Flowers are white to cream, borne in groups of 10 to 35. The leaves grow very close to the stalk and their bottoms bear tiny white hairs.
Taxonomy
History
''Rhododendron columbianum'' was originally named ''Ledum columbianum,'' so it appears as its former name in many texts''.'' In 2009 Kathleen A. Kron and Walter S. Judd deemed the morphology of genus ''Ledum'' alike enough to the ''Rhododendron'' genus to combine it into the larger ''Rhododendron'' genus. This taxonomic change resulted in the original name of ''Ledum columbianum'' being changed to ''Rhododendron columbianum.'' ''Ledum columbianum'' was removed from the National Wetland Plant List in 2012, but re-added as ''Rhodedendron columbianum'' for the official 2013 list publication, where it still remains. Currently, both ''Rhododendron columbianum and
Rhododendron groenlandicum
''Rhododendron groenlandicum'' (bog Labrador tea, muskeg tea, swamp tea, or in northern Canada, Hudson's Bay tea; formerly ''Ledum groenlandicum'' or ''Ledum latifolium'') is a flowering shrub with white flowers and evergreen leaves that is used ...
'' share the common name of Labrador tea.
Phylogeny
According to The
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...
's Paleobotanical Library, a megafossil of ''R.'' ''columbianum'' was found in Washington and dated to the late
Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch (geology), epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.33 to 2.58 The genetic crossing of ''R.'' ''groenlandicum'' and ''R.'' ''neoglandulosum'' results in ''R. columbianum''. Results from molecular and nuclear phylogenetic analyses indicate that ''R. columbianum'' and ''R. tolmachevii'' make up a clade most closesly related to ''R. groenlandicum, R. hypoleucum, and R. tomentosum''.
Uses
''Rhododendron columbianum'' has been used medicinally as a tea astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic and laxative properties. The plant can, however, be toxic if the tea is allowed to steep too long. The fragrance of the leaves has also been shown useful in repelling insects and rodents.Plants for a Future, The Goddess Project
Gallery
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Rhododendron columbianum - Flickr - pellaea.jpg
Rhododendron columbianum - Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Berkeley, CA - DSC04440.JPG
Rhododendron columbianum.jpg