Description

Much branched shrub to 75 cm. Leaves 8-15 x 3-7.5 mm, elliptic or oblong-elliptic, apex obtuse or rounded, mucronate, base broadly cuneate, sometimes with a few simple cilia near the base and on the petiole, undersurface uniformly tawny brown, densely covered with contiguous scales. inflorescence 2-flowered, pedicels lepidote and puberulous, 3-4 mm. Calyx 3 mm, lobes broadly strap-shaped, rounded, pubescent and lepidote, margin ciliate. Corolla bright purplish rose, broadly funnel-shaped, 12-15(-18) mm, lube 4—5(—8) mm, pubescent inside, pilose outside. Stamens 10, filaments pubescent towards the base. Ovary lepidote, style exceeding stamens, pubescent at base. Capsule ovoid, c. 5 mm, lepidote.

Distribution

China (NW Yunnan)

Altitude

Habitat

Open stony pasture, 3500 m

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Cullen, J. (1980) A Revision of Rhododendron 1: Subgenus Rhododendron sections Rhododendron & Pogonanthum. Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 39(1):100