Description

Shrub to 2-6 m. Young growth loriform-setose, the older twigs smooth and sparsely lepidote. Leaves elliptic to obovate-elliptic, tapered to the base, the apex obtuse to rounded, 47-75 X 18-32 mm, drying a distinctive pale greyish green, upper surface elepidote or very sparsely lepidote, lower surface with distant, unequal, golden scales; petioles sparsely lepidote. Inflorescence 2-4-fIowered, pedicels lepidote. Calyx 5-lobed, the lobes broadly triangular, obtuse, c. 3 mm, lepidote outside, not ciliate. Corolla funnel-campanulate, white or white flushed pink with a yellow or golden blotch inside, 50-55 mm, the tube c. 30 mm, rather sparsely pilose over most of the tube outside, the outsides of the lobes lepidote. Stamens 10, filaments densely pubescent towards the base. Ovary densely lepidote, style impressed, lepidote at the extreme base, rarely pubescent there as well. Capsule c. 16 mm, lepidote.

Distribution

China (SE Xizang—Tsangpo and Po-Tsangpo valleys)

Altitude

Habitat

Cliffs, forested slopes

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Cullen, J. (1980) A Revision of Rhododendron 1: Subgenus Rhododendron sections Rhododendron & Pogonanthum. Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 39(1):43