Lapland Rosebay

Small, much-branched prostrate or erect shrubs, 0.2–0.45(–1) m tall. Petiole 1.5–4 mm, scaly; leaf blade oblong-elliptic, ovate-elliptic to oblong-obovate, 0.4–1.5(–2.5) × 0.2–0.5(–0.9) cm; base broadly cuneate; apex obtuse or rounded, mucronate; abaxial surface fawn to reddish brown, scales contiguous or overlapping, 2-colored, pale brown or ferruginous, nearly equal in number and intermixed; adaxial surface pale green, matt, densely scaly. Inflorescence (2–)3–5(–6)-flowered. Pedicel 0.3–1.2 cm, scaly; calyx reddish or purple; lobes (0.5–) 1–2 mm, deltoid or rounded, persistent in fruit, scaly, margin ciliate and rarely scaly; corolla broadly funnelform, violet rose to purple or rarely white, (0.65–)0.7–1.3(–1.6) cm, tube (1.5–) 2–5(–6) mm, outer surface glabrous, throat pubescent; stamens 5–10, filaments pubescent towards base; ovary ca. 1.2 mm, densely scaly; style 1.1–1.5 cm, longer than stamens, glabrous. Capsule cylindric-ovate, 3–6 mm, densely scaly. Fl. May–Jul, fr. Sep–Oct.

Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol [Japan, N Korea, Mongolia, Russia (Siberia); N Europe (Scandinavia), N North America (Canada, Greenland, N United States)].

Arctic regions, mountain tundra, bogs, peat or moss lands, clayey soils, other damp places; sea level to 1900 m.

Rhododendron lapponicum (ly.) Wahl. Fl. Suec. 249. 1824
Azalea lapponica I/. Sp. PI. 151. 1753.
A depressed much-branched shrub mostly less than 2 dm. tall; leaf -blades oblong, elliptic, or oval, varying to broadest above or below the middle, 1.5 cm. long or less, obtuse, copiously resinous-dotted, slightly paler, beneath than above, short-petioled; clusters 3-6-flowered; calyx-lobes ovate to oblong-ovate; corolla pturple and somewhat mottled, rotatecampanulate, about 1 cm. long; stamens 5-8 or rarely 10, the anthers much-exserted ; capsules ovoid or oblong-ovoid, 4-5 mm. long.
Type locality: I^apland.
Distribution: Greenland, Arctic America to Labrador, the alpine regions of New England, New York, and Unalaschka; also in northern Europe and Asia.

Rhododendron lapponicum, the Lapland rosebay, is a dwarf rhododendron species found in subarctic regions of North America, Europe and Asia, where it grows at altitudes ranging from sea level to 1,900 m (6,200 ft). It is an evergreen prostrate shrub growing to 20–45 cm (7.9–17.7 in) in height, with leaves that are oblong-elliptic or ovate-elliptic to oblong-obovate, 0.4–1.5 by 0.2–0.5 cm in size. The flowers are reddish or purple.

Despite numerous attempts, this dwarf species has proved difficult to cultivate, possibly because it requires very cool, moist conditions and snow cover for part of the year.