Lepidotes

Norman Todd May 2003

A Norman Todd bio, printed in advance of his last appearance as our speaker, is highly appropriate still: “Erudition in the field of rhododendrondry and a high level of literacy – all attended by a pervading wit – are the famous attributes of our Norman Todd. We must be exceedingly deserving to have this talent amongst us.

We were treated to a talk on Lepidote Rhododendrons by Norman Todd at the May meeting. He introduced the subject by giving us the microscopic view of the underside scales of several scaly rhododendrons and we noted that each one is different, thus helping in the identification of the rhodos. Although the exact reason for scales has not yet been truly understood, Norm mentioned the theory that the lepidote rhododendrons are thought to be more highly evolved. Today scientists use DNA analysis for determining identity.

He said that at Firwood Nursery, lepidotes were outsold by four to one of the large trussed elepidotes which his customers favour. There are so many unique characteristics to the lepidote rhododendrons and we were given a tour of the various subsections of scaly rhododendrons. I think Norman’s all time favourite lepidote is his keiskei ’Yaku Fairy’ – truly a rhododendron to be proud of, sitting prettily in a container in which he moves his plant up a centimetre, waiting for it to cascade over the sides in a perfect mound. His slides were lovely...tall clouds of blues (augustinii), pink (rubiginosum), and white (yunnanense) plus the small leaved ground-hugging rhododendrons for the rockery. Norm commented that thirty years ago the only species readily available to buyers was R. impeditum ( now sought after by bonsai fanciers) but today, on southern Vancouver Island, the availability of about three hundred species tempts the rhododendron lover to try out interesting leaf and flower shapes. Some of my favourites he showed were the cinnabarinums ,’Conroy’, ’Cinnkeys’, ’Royalei’, and ’Trewithen Orange’.

In order for us not to think nature perfect he included heart- and branch-breaking snowy scenes in which many treasures were lost or disfigured. He finished with the largest group of the lepidote family, the subgenus Vireya with over four hundred species found in the wild mostly in Malesiana. The scales of the Vireya are either broad flanged or stellate and when viewed under the microscope the resinous scales look like crystalline burned sugar. A most artistic slide finished the talk of two spider webs conjoined in a shaft of sunlight like the two divisions of rhododendrons: elepidotes and lepidotes. Thank you Norm for your erudite discourse.