Fl, des Serres 9:78 (1854). Based on Azalea indica sensu Sims, Bot. Mag. 35: t.1480 (1812), non L. (1753). Type: a plant grown by James Vere in 1812 near London, or the plate cited.
Verified by:
Much-branched twiggy shrub, l-3m; young shoots densely covered with adpressed flattened shining brown strigose hairs; bud scales viscid on inner surface. Leaves dimorphic, chartacerous; spring leaves ovate-lanceolate to linear-elliptic, 3-7 x (0.6-)l-2cm, (2-)2.5-4(-7) x as long as broad, apex acute, base cuneate, margin entire, upper surface sparingly adpressed-strigose, lower surface paler, more densely strigose, especially on the midrib and veins; summer leaves elliptic to oblong-elliptic, 10-20 x 5รณ10mm, apex often rounded, otherwise as for spring leaves; petioles 3-6mm, covered with adpressed red-brown strigose hairs. Inflorescence 2-6-flowered; pedicels 5-10mm, densely strigose. Calyx strigose; lobes ovate-lanceolate, 3-7mm, ciliate, apex blunt. Corolla broadly funnel-shaped, 25-60mm, white to dark red, upper lobes with darker flecks; tube 7-33mm, glabrous. Stamens (8-)10, as long as corolla, filaments pubescent below middle. Ovary densely strigose; style strigose at base. Capsule 5-10mm, strigose. ** * Rhododendron simsii * var. * mesembrinum * ** Corolla white to rose-pink, 25-40mm long ** * Rhododendron simsii * var. * simsii * ** Corolla rich red to carmine, 35-60mm long
Chamberlain, D.F. & Rae, S.J. (1990) A Revision of Rhododendron IV Subgenus Tsutsusi. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 47(2):115