The genus Daphyniphyllum occurs only in southeast Asia, and remains uncommon enough in horticulture that no common name has been settled upon (although Dave Creech of the SFA Mast Arboretum suggests false daphne).
An uncritical glance at the plant would suggest that it is either a rhododendron or closely related, but despite similarities in superficial morphology such as habit and leaf shape, it is not even in the same order of plants. Orders are a level above families, so to compare Rhododendron and Daphniphyllum: Rhododendron is in the family Ericaceae, one of a number of families in the Order Ericales, while Daphniphyllum is in the family Daphniphyllaceae, a member of the Order Saxifragales. With this knowledge, you can draw the conclusion that even though they are still distantly related (different families), Daphniphyllum is more closely related to saxifrages (Saxifraga) than it is to rhododendrons.
Photography resource link: With A New Eye – The Digital National Parks Project by pioneering digital photographer Stephen Johnson. Although the web images are small (though they give you a taste), I can only imagine that the prints are stunning; Stephen uses a 144 megapixel BetterLight Model 6000K.
Daphniphyllum macropodum – Z6, RHS Index of Garden Plants, Griffiths
Is this Daphniphyllum poisonous? The perfume of our common daphne is wonderful. What are the links?
I can’t find anything about it being poisonous, but it may very well be. It’s about as closely related to Daphne as it is to Rhododendron, i.e., not very. The link is a similarity in the shape and appearance of the leaf – daphniphyllum = leaves of daphne.
How do you differentiate between Daphniphyllum macropodum and D. himalenaense ssp. macropodum?
From the Daphniphyllum treatment via the Flora of China:
3a. Staminodes 10; leaf blade not papillate below, lateral veins slender and dense, visible on both surfaces … 1. D. macropodum
3b. Staminodes 5; leaf blade finely (or minutely) papillate below, lateral veins laxly arcuate, slightly impressed adaxially, prominent abaxially … 2. D. himalense
I have this in my garden under a live oak, dappled shade. It grows slowly. The foliage remains beautiful all year even in our hot humid summers. I have had it several years, but have not noticed any berries.It grows next to a rice paper plant/Edgeworthii chrysantha – nice combination. I am in Jacksonville, FL zone 9a
this genus requires both male and female plants in order to produce blue berries.