Rhododendron championiae（毛葉杜鵑 ● Champion's rhododendron）

Rhododendron championiae is a shrub or small tree that has restricted distribution in Hong Kong. According to Flora of Hong Kong, the species can only be found in limited localities including Tai O, Ma On Shan, and Victoria Peak. Personally, I've seen the population growing in Tai O and the one on Ma On Shan. The species seems to be growing in shrublands on steep slopes. The species is characterized by its glandular hairs growing on leaves and buds, an adaptation probably used to save water and prevent insects from eating the tissues of the plant. In spring, white flowers with yellowish dots and occasionally having a touch of pink color emerge. The fruit of the plant is a capsule that holds the seeds before they are distributed by anemochory like other Rhododendron spp.. The photos below show withering flowers of R. championiae in Tai O (I was a little too late).

Flowers

New leaves

Old leaves (crowed towards the apex, in a whole like arrangement)

Flowers

Flowers

Flowers

The whole population on the slope

Rhododendron hongkongense（香港杜鵑 ● Hong Kong azalea）

  Rhododendron hongkongense is a shrub or small tree species with very restricted distribution in Hong Kong. Due to its restricted distribution, the plant included in the book of Rare and Precious Plants in Hong Kong.

  The largest population in Hong Kong is the population growing in the Ma On Shan area. Claiming that the population is shrinking, AFCD (Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department) has started a scheme to protect the species. The department removes other more common plants such as Polyspora axillaris（大頭茶）.The scheme received quite a lot of opposition from the public (including myself) mainly due to two reasons. Firstly, although P. axillaris is a common species, it is a host to Korthalsella japonica（栗寄生）, a obligate stem hemiparasite that is even rarer than R. hongkongense in Hong Kong. Secondly, AFCD did not remove the poisonous nails after it is used on the plant so the poison could possibly spread out in the ecosystem.

  R. hongkongense bears white flowers in late spring. The white flowers are followed by bright red to purple new shoots which stand out in the forest.

  According to Flora of Hong Kong, the species' taxonomic status is still quite unclear and more evidence is needed to separate the species completely from R. ovatum and R. bachii.

  The photos below are taken in Ma On Shan in spring.

Fallen flowers

Fallen flowers, purple spots might be used to guide bees towards nectar

new shoots

leaf

new shoots

white flowers

flowering plant in the forest really stands out

flowers

Enkianthus quinqueflorus (吊鐘 ● Chinese New Year flower)

Enkianthus quinqueflorus is a species quite common in shrublands within Hong Kong. The species bloom in spring with beautiful pinkish flowers. E. quinqueflorus is semi-deciduous with most of the leaves gone by winter. Usually, new leaves comes out when the plant blooms and most of the old leaves are gone by then. However, affected by global warming, it is expected that more and more old leaves will endure the winter and remain on the plant while it blooms. The following pictures were taken on Lantau Island in late Jan showing flower development.





E. quinqueflorus in Jan, some old leaves still remain (green ones)