Description

Shrub, 1-10 m. Young growth sparsely lepidote, usually with pruinose-glaucous bloom. Leaves 29-65 x 13-25 mm, hard, elliptic to narrowly elliptic, acute at apex, cuneate at base, elepidote above, beneath sparsely lepidote with very distant (c. 5-8 x their own diameter apart), narrowly rimmed, golden or brown scales; petiole and upper part of midrib usually pruinose-glaucous, rarely sparsely puberulent. Inflorescence loose, pedicels lepidote, (8-)10~17 mm. Calyx minute, disc-like or undulate, sparsely lepidote, usually glabrous. Corolla white to rose pink or lilac, unspotted or spotted with red, (21-)24-27(-30) mm, ± elepidote outside. Capsule 10-16 mm.

Distribution

China (N & NW Yunnan, SW Sichuan)

Altitude

Habitat

Scrub, thickets and forest, sometimes on rocky slopes

Nomenclatural History

R. racemosum var. rigidum (Franchet) Rehnelt, Gartenflora 57:561, t. 1577 (1908). R. caeruleum Leveille, Feddes Rep. 12:284 (1913). Type: China, Yunnan, mont de Mo tsou, v 1912, Maire (holo. E). R. rarosquameum Balfour f., Notes R.B.G. Edinb. 10:137 (1917). Type: China, Yunnan, Io chan, 3200 m, Maire (holo. E). R. sycnanthum Balfour f. & W. W. Smith, op. cit.: 162. Type: China, Yunnan, E flank of Tali range, 10-11000 ft, v 1910, Forrest 6771 (holo. E). R. hesperium Balfour f. & Forrest, Notes R.B.G. Edinb. 13:263 (1922). Type: China, Yunnan, Tali range, W flank, 10000 ft, vi 1917, Forrest 15576 (holo. E). R, eriandrum [Leveille ex] Hutchinson, The Species of Rhododendron, 798 (1930). Type: none designated.

Notes

References

Cullen, J. (1980) A Revision of Rhododendron 1: Subgenus Rhododendron sections Rhododendron & Pogonanthum. Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 39(1):69