Rhododendrons Sikkim Himalaya 1.10 (1849)
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Tree, 6-12m. Leaves broadly elliptic to obovate, 18-35 x 8-17cm, 1.4-2.3 x as long as broad, apex rounded, base rounded to cordate, upper surface glabrous or scurfy, rugulose, lower surface with a bistrate indumentum, the lower layer white and compacted, the upper a dense rufous tomentum composed of strongly fimbriate, narrowly cup-shaped hairs; petioles terete, 2.5-5cm, sparsely floccose and stipitate-glandular. Inflorescence 15-20-flowered; rhachis stout; 30-60mm; pedicels 40-55mm, densely stipitate-glandular, viscid. Calyx c.2mm, viscid-glandular. Corolla fleshy, 8(-10)-lobed, obliquely campanulate, whitish to cream, or pale pink with darker tips, purple basal blotch present, 40-50mm. Stamens 12-16. Ovary densely viscid-glandular. Capsule c.40 x 10mm, straight. ** * Rhododendron falconeri * var. * exinuum * ** Corolla pale pink with darker tips; leaves scurfy above, even at maturity ** * Rhododendron falconeri * var. * falconeri * ** Corolla white to cream; leaves glabrous above at maturity
Deciduous and mixed forests
Chamberlain, D.F. (1982) A Revision of Rhododendron II. Subgenus Hymenanthes. Notes From the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 39(2):259