Vietnam FDC on "Rhododendron"

First Day Cover
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Sobrescrito de 1.º Dia

Vietnam

Rhododendron

Date of Issue : 1 August 2009

The stampset shows the four typical species of Rhododendron in Vietnam.

4-1 (500d) : Rhododendron fortunei Lindl.
4-2 (1,200d) : Rhododendron simsii Planch.
4-3 (4,500d) : Rhododendron sp.
4-4 (14,500d) : Enkianthus quinqueflorus Lour.

Rhododendron (from the Greek: rhodos, "rose", and dendron, "tree") is a genus of flowering plants in the family Ercaceae.

It is a large genus with over 1000 species which very rich variety of types, sizes and colors. They are only natural distribution in high mountain areas, where climate is cool.

In the world, Rhododendron is a very widely distributed genus, occurring throughout most of Northern America in temperate zone, extending into the highland of Asia-Euro-Eastern Asia and with other significant areas of diversity in Japan and North Korea. Rhododendrons have not been found in South America or Africa.

In Viet Nam, Rhododendrons occur in Tam Dao, Bạch Mã, Bà Nà National Park and many species diversity in Đà Lạt. The highest species diversity is found in Sapa.- Hoàng Liên National Park that is considered as one of the biggest Rhododendron Garden with 32 species of ericaceous.

It is the National Flower of Nepal and also the State Flower of West Virginia and Washington in America.