At that time he considered the then known six species of Azalea that he had described earlier in 1735 in his Systema Naturae as a separate genus. Linnaeus' six species of Azalea were Azalea indica, A.
Consequently, the taxonomy has been historically complex. ===Early history === Although Rhododendrons had been known since the description of Rhododendron hirsutum by Charles de l'Écluse (Clusius) in the sixteenth century, and were known to classical writers (Magor 1990), and referred to as Chamaerhododendron (low-growing rose tree), the genus was first formally described by Linnaeus in his Species Plantarum in 1753.
For instance Rhodora (Linnaeus 1763) for Rhododendron canadense, Vireya (Blume 1826) and Hymenanthes (Blume 1826) for Rhododendron metternichii, now R.
For instance Rhodora (Linnaeus 1763) for Rhododendron canadense, Vireya (Blume 1826) and Hymenanthes (Blume 1826) for Rhododendron metternichii, now R.
Meanwhile, other botanists such as Salisbury (1796) and Tate (1831) began to question the distinction between Azalea and Rhododendron, and finally in 1836, Azalea was incorporated into Rhododendron and the genus divided into eight sections.
It was not until 1893 that Koehne appreciated the significance of scaling and hence the separation of lepidote and elepidote species.
That system continued up to modern times in Davidian's four volume The Rhododendron Species. ===Modern era=== The next major attempt at classification was by Sleumer who from 1934 began incorporating the Balfourian series into the older hierarchical structure of subgenera and sections, according to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, culminating in 1949 with his "Ein System der Gattung Rhododendron L.", and subsequent refinements.
That system continued up to modern times in Davidian's four volume The Rhododendron Species. ===Modern era=== The next major attempt at classification was by Sleumer who from 1934 began incorporating the Balfourian series into the older hierarchical structure of subgenera and sections, according to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, culminating in 1949 with his "Ein System der Gattung Rhododendron L.", and subsequent refinements.
In 1986 Philipson & Philipson raised two sections of subgenus Aleastrum (Mumeazalea, Candidastrum) to subgenera, while reducing genus Therorhodion to a subgenus of Rhododendron.
In 1987 Spethmann, adding phytochemical features proposed a system with fifteen subgenera grouped into three 'chorus' subgenera. A number of closely related genera had been included together with Rhododendron in a former tribe, Rhodoreae.
Consequently, the taxonomy has been historically complex. ===Early history === Although Rhododendrons had been known since the description of Rhododendron hirsutum by Charles de l'Écluse (Clusius) in the sixteenth century, and were known to classical writers (Magor 1990), and referred to as Chamaerhododendron (low-growing rose tree), the genus was first formally described by Linnaeus in his Species Plantarum in 1753.
Finally Chamberlain brought the various systems together in 1996, with 1,025 species divided into eight subgenera.
In 2011 the two species of Diplarche were also added to Rhododendron, incertae sedis. ===Subdivision=== This genus has been progressively subdivided into a hierarchy of subgenus, section, subsection, and species. ====Subgenera==== Terminology from the Sleumer (1949) system is frequently found in older literature, with five subgenera and is as follows; Subgenus Lepidorrhodium Koehne: Lepidotes.
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