Description

Shrub to 3m. Twigs 2mm in diameter, sub-densely, minutely, reddish-brown scaly; internodes 2–3cm. Leaves 3–4 in pseudowhorls at the upper 2 or 3 nodes. Blade 45–65 x 20–30mm, elliptic-obovate; apex rounded or mostly slightly retuse; margin entire; base broadly tapering, scaly initially on both sides, at maturity glabrescent above, sub-densely and persistently scaly beneath. Scales minute, with the thin marginal zone variously indented; centre a little impressed, large and of dark-brown colour typical of the section. Mid-vein narrow and impressed above, as thick as the petiole beneath at the base and very prominent, gradually less so distally; lateral veins 7–9 per side, curved and anastomosing towards the margin, minutely impressed above, somewhat raised or nearly invisible beneath, without reticulation. Petiole 6–8 x c.2mm, grooved above, densely scaly, a little flattened. Bracts 7 x 4mm, ovate-acuminate, hairy on both sides, white-ciliate round the margins. Inflorescence a 3-flowered umbel. Pedicels 14–18mm, slender, laxly scaly. Calyx 2.5mm in diameter, oblique, disc-shaped, very shortly or not lobed, scaly outside. Corolla 26–30mm, tubular, slightly curved, gradually widened to the mouth, pink, or orange-red; tube 20 x 3–4 x 6mm, laxly scaly outside, glabrous inside; lobes 7–10 x 4–5mm, obovate, sub-erect. Stamens unequal, the longer ones nearly as long as the corolla; filaments linear, glabrous; anthers 1–5 x 0.7mm. Disc glabrous. Ovary 4 x 1.5mm, elongate-conical, densely scaly, gradually tapering distally; style slender, exserted; stigma rounded. Fruit 10mm.

Rhododendron obscurum Sleumer

Description

Distribution

Altitude

Habitat

Nomenclatural History

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