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Kalmia microphylla (Hook.) A.Heller

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Credits

New article for Trees and Shrubs Online.

Recommended citation
'Kalmia microphylla' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/kalmia/kalmia-microphylla/). Accessed 2026-08-20.

Family

  • Ericaceae

Genus

Synonyms

  • Kalmia glauca var. microphylla Hook.
  • Kalmia polifolia var. microphylla (Hook.) Rehder

Glossary

variety
(var.) Taxonomic rank (varietas) grouping variants of a species with relatively minor differentiation in a few characters but occurring as recognisable populations. Often loosely used for rare minor variants more usefully ranked as forms.

References

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Credits

New article for Trees and Shrubs Online.

Recommended citation
'Kalmia microphylla' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/kalmia/kalmia-microphylla/). Accessed 2026-08-20.

Kalmia microphylla

Treated today as a full species, Kalmia microphylla is a low growing, spreading, alpine shrublet (wild plant at c. 3300 m asl, Snowy Range, Wyoming; 20 August 2011). Image Julian Sutton.

A dwarf, spreading shrub usually less than 6 in. high. Leaves 3⁄8 to 3⁄4 in. long, half or less wide. Flowers about 3⁄8 in. wide, usually rose-purple.

An alpine variety of the species ranging from Alaska to California and Colorado. For a photograph of this variety taken in Colorado see New Fl. & Sylv., Vol. 8, fig. lvii.

Kalmia microphylla

Kalmia microphylla in its high altitude wetland habitat, growing with Primula parryi. In parts of this colony plants were flowering while almost completely submerged in snowmelt water (c. 3300 m asl, Snowy Range, Wyoming; 20 August 2011). Image Julian Sutton.

var. occidentalis (Small) Ebinger

Synonyms
Kalmia occidentalis Small

Not a distinct species but an intermediate between K. polifolia and K. microphylla. Ebinger places it under the latter as K. microphylla var. occidentalis (Small) Ebinger, while Southall and Hardin include it in K. microphylla without distinction.

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