Description

Shrub or small tree, 2-12m. Leaves elliptic to oblanceolate, 6-16 x 1.8-6cm, 2.7—3.6 x as long as broad, apex acute to acuminate, upper surface glabrous, lower surface with a thing silvery to fawn compacted indumentum embedded in a surface film; petioles 1 -2cm, floccose at first, soon glabrescent. Inflorescence lax, 4-10-flowered; rhachis 10-15mm; pedicels 20-25mm, floccose, sometimes also glandular. Calyx c.2mm, floccose, lobes broadly triangular, sometimes glandular-ciliate. Corolla funnel-campanulate to open-campanulate, white to pale pink, with purple flecks, 30-55mm. Ovary with a thin white floccose to rufous-glandular indumentum; style glabrous. Capsule 10-25 x 3-4mm, narrowly cylindrical, curved. ** * Rhododendron argyrophyllum * var. * argyrophyllum * ** Leaves 6-9(-1 l)cm; corolla 30-35mm. Leaf indumentum white to silvery; ovary eglandular or glandular. Ovary and pedicels eglandular. ** * Rhododendron argyrophyllum * var. * hypoglaucum * ** Leaves 6-9(-1 l)cm; corolla 30-35mm. Leaf indumentum white to silvery; ovary eglandular or glandular. Ovary and pedicels glandular. ** * Rhododendron argyrophyllum * var. * nankingense * ** ** * Rhododendron argyrophyllum * var. * omeiense * ** Leaves 6-9(-1 l)cm; corolla 30-35mm. Leaf indumentum fawn; ovary eglandular.

Distribution

Altitude

Habitat

Bamboo thickets, forests, open slopes

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Chamberlain, D.F. (1982) A Revision of Rhododendron II. Subgenus Hymenanthes. Notes From the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 39(2):325