Description

Shrub to 7 m high, young branches glabrous. Leaves glabrous; blades broadly elliptic or obovate to elliptic-lanceolate, 50-100 x 18-50mm, base cuneate, apex shortly or long acuminate, coriaceous; petiole 5-12 mm long. Inflorescence buds lateral, 1-flowered, clustered near the ends of leafy shoots; outer bud scales short, inner elongate (c.20mm long), shining, glabrous except for minute hairs or glands on the margin and apex, persistent; pedicels glabrous, c.20 mm long. Calyx lobes 5, minute, glabrous. Corolla pink with darker spots on the upper lobe, glabrous, with a short tube (c.lOmm long) and broad spreading lobes (c.27mm long). Stamens 10, filaments slightly villose near the base, exserted. Ovary cylindric, c.7mm long, glabrous, 5-locular; style c.30mm long, glabrous. Capsule narrowly cylindric, falcate, c.30-40 x 4-5 mm.

Distribution

China (Hubei, Guizhou, Hunan, Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Thejiang), Japan (Ryukyu Islands).

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):11