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 57 evergreen leaves DHJanzen100368.jpg high resolution
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| This Rhododendron (Ericaceae, the blueberry family) is an evergreen shrubby angiosperm (i.e., not a conifer) treelet from the understory of North Carolina forests. Its very poisonous leaves are chemically well-protected from browsing large herbivores (the small amount of damage you see is probably done by host-specific caterpillars). The oldest leaves in this image are seven years old. The tree produces only a few new leaves each year, in striking contrast to the canopy member trees high above, which change their entire leaf crop every year. | ||
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