Exot. Bot. 1: 9, t.6 (1805)
Verified by:
Usually a tree (l-)5-50m, with a well-defined trunk. Leaves narrowly to broadly elliptic or ovate, 6.5 — 19 x 1.8—5cm, 2.2-6.5 x as long as broad, upper surface reticulate to bullate, glabrous, lower surface with a dense compacted to spongy, white to fawn dendroid tomentum, occasionally also with a floccose rufous upper layer; petioles l-2cm, with a loose indumentum intermixed with glands, sometimes glabrescent at maturity. Inflorescence 10-20-flowered, dense; rhachis 15-20mm; pedicels 5-10mm, pilose and glandular. Calyx l-2mm, lobes rounded, sparsely glandular to ± glabrous. Corolla fleshy, ± tubular-campanulate, pink to deep crimson, rarely pure white, with dark flecks and nectar pouches, 30-50mm. Ovary white-tomentose, sometimes also glandular. Capsule 15-30 x c.6mm. ** * Rhododendron arboreum * var. * arboreum * ** Leaves (8—)10—19 x (2.4-)3-5cm, 3-4(-5) x as long as broad, apex acute, upper surface reticulate, lower surface with a compacted, usually white to silvery indumentum. Corolla bright red to carmine, rarely pink or white. ** * Rhododendron arboreum * var. * cinnamomeum * ** ** * Rhododendron arboreum * var. * cinnamomeum * ** Leaves 6.5-11 x 2.5-6cm, 2.5-3.7 x as long as broad, apex acute, upper surface reticulate, lower surface with a bistrate indumentum, the upper layer loose and floccose, rufous, the lower whitish to fawn and compacted. Corolla pink to carmine, occasionally white. ** * Rhododendron arboreum * var. * cinnamomeum * ** Leaves 6.5-ll x 2.2-4.5cm, 2.7-3.5 x as long as broad, apex acute, upper surface reticulate, lower surface with a unistrate compacted, usually fawn or whitish indumentum. Corolla pink to carmine, rarely white. ** * Rhododendron arboreum * var. * delavayi * ** ** * Rhododendron arboreum * var. * delavayi * ** Leaves 7—13.5(—15.5) x 2-2.4cm, 2.8-4.4 x as long as broad, apex acute, upper surface reticulate, lower surface with a unistrate spongy, whitish to fawn indumentum. Corolla usually deep crimson to carmine. ** * Rhododendron arboreum * var. * delavayi * ** Leaves (7.5-)9-15(-18) x 1.8-3(-4.2)cm, 4.5-6.5 X as long as broad apex acute to shortly cuspidate, with a loose spongy, fawn indumentum below. Corolla usually crimson to carmine. ** * Rhododendron arboreum * var. * nilagiricum * ** Leaves 8.5-12 x 3.8-6cm, 1.8-2.4 x as long as broad, apex ± rounded, apiculate, upper surface rugose, lower surface with a spongy yellowish-brown indumentum. Corolla carmine. ** * Rhododendron arboreum * var. * zeylanicum * ** Leaves 8-11 x 3.5-4.5cm, 2.2-2.8 X as long as broad, apex blunt to acute, upper surface with strongly impressed veins, bullate, margin strongly recurved, lower surface with a spongy brownish indumentum. Corolla carmine.
Chamberlain, D.F. (1982) A Revision of Rhododendron II. Subgenus Hymenanthes. Notes From the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 39(2):328