Description

Shrub, 2—6m. Leaves narrowly elliptic to broadly oblanceolate, 7—14.5 x 1.8—4.5cm, 2.5-4 x as long as broad, apex rounded to acuminate, upper surface glabrous, lower surface with a thin compacted whitish indumentum, lacking a surface film; petioles 1.5-2cm, floccose-tomentose at first, soon glabrescent. Inflorescence lax, 4-7-flowered; rhachis 5-15mm; pedicels 20-35mm, whitish to rusty floccose-tomentose. Calyx 1—2mm, floccose-tomentose, lobes minute. Corolla open-campanulate, pink with a few darker flecks, 25-35mm. Ovary rufous stellate-tomentose and shortly stipitate-glandular; style glabrous or with a few glands at base. Capsule 10-20 x 6mm, cylindrical, ± curved.

Distribution

S & E China (from Sichuan & Guangxi to Zhejiang), HONGKONG.

Altitude

Habitat

Rocky slopes, etc.

Nomenclatural History

R. fordii Hemsley, Kew Bull. 1894: 5 (1894). Type: Hongkong, Lantow Island, Ford 111 (holo. K; iso. A). R. fokiense Franchet, Bull. Soc. Bot. France 44:210(1899). Type: China, Fujian, Kuatan, 1898, Latouche (iso. E). R. versicolor Chun & Fang, Acta Phytotax. Sin. 6: 172, t.43 (1957). Type: China, Guangxi, Hungtan, Tatan Kou, 850m, 11-13 iv 1955, Kwangfu Exped. 61 (holo. Hb. Inst. Bot. Guangzhou).

Notes

References

Chamberlain, D.F. (1982) A Revision of Rhododendron II. Subgenus Hymenanthes. Notes From the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 39(2):320