Description

Shrub to 2 m high, young branches glabrous. Leaves glabrous; blade broadly elliptic to narrowly obovate 95-150 x 30-60 mm, base cuneate to narrowly cuneate, apex acute or acuminate, coriaceous; petiole 8-12 mm long. Inflorescence buds lateral, clustered at the ends of leafy shoots, 1-flowered; bud scales numerous, outer short, inner elongate (to 40mm), margins sometimes minutely ciliate (and sometimes glandular) and with an apical rim of minute white hairs, surface not shining, persistent until anthesis; pedicels 15-20 mm long, with scattered pubescence. Calyx lobes 5, small, rounded or slightly longer, ovate, glabrous, or pubescent on the outer surface and margin. Corolla white, upper lobe with intense yellow blotch, glabrous, tube c.25-30mm long, lobes c.30-40 x 25-30 mm, spreading. Stamens 10, filaments hairy on lower half. Ovary cylindric c.8-9 mm high, covered with silky hairs, 5-6-locular; style glabrous or a few basal hairs. Capsule narrowly cylindric, falcate, c.60mm long.

Distribution

China (Yunnan, Guangxi)

Altitude

Habitat

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Philipson, W.R. & Philipson, M.N. (1986) A Revision of Rhododendron III. Subgenera Azaleastrum, Mumeazalea, Candidastrum and Therorhodion. Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 44(1):10