Uncommon flowering in Rhododendron cinnabarinum Hook. f. subsp. cinnabarinum (Ericaceae: Ericoideae) observed in Darjeeling Himalaya, India
1,2Subhasis Panda
1Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Government General Degree College, Chapra, Vill.- Shikra, PO.-Padmamala, District-Nadia-741123, West Bengal (India) (affiliated to University of Kalyani). 2Angiosperm Taxonomy & Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Botany Department, Maulana Azad College, University of Calcutta, 8, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, Kolkata-700013 (India) Email: bgc.panda@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
During field studies at different places of Singalila National Park in Darjeeling Himalaya from September 2013 to November 2019, uncommon flowering of Rhododendron cinabarinum Hook. f. subsp. cinnabarinum was observed at three different populations viz., Tonglu, Tumling-Gairibas and Kaiakata-Kalipokhri. Rhododendron cinnabarinum Hook. f. subsp. cinnabarinum flowers once in a year throughout its natural habitat from April to early June. Flowering populations of this subspecies were not observed in other natural habitats in Darjeeling during September to November since the period from 2013 to 2019 as a result of regular monitoring, also not reported from other phytogeographical regions viz., Sikkim, Nepal, Bhutan and China so far literature and herbarium specimens consulted. Therefore, this phenomenon of uncommon flowering of this subspecies is a significant scientific novelty reported for the first time from Darjeeling Himalaya.