Rhodo. Sikkim Himalaya t. 19 (1849)
Verified by:
Straggling shrub, (0-5-)l-5(-7) m, bark of mature shoots smooth, reddish brown, peeling. Leaves usually evergreen, sometimes semi-deciduous, ovate or lanceolate, rarely narrowly elliptic, acute at apex, truncate or cordate at the base, (38-)45-60(-65) x (20-)24-32 mm, upper surface dark green, ± elepidote, lower surface greyish brown with close, very small (less than 0-1 mm in diameter), almost rimless scales. Inflorescences 2-3(-4)-flowered, pedicels lepidote, 8-13 mm. Calyx small, inconspicuous, usually ± undulate, rarely more conspicuously 5-lobed, lepidote. Corolla variable in shape, pale yellow, yellow suffused with red, or with dark red spots, 21-30 mm, tube 7-12 mm, densely lepidote and pubescent at the sinuses outside. Stamens 10, filaments pubescent towards the base. Ovary lepidote, style glabrous or rarely puberulent at base. Capsule lepidote, cylindric, 10-13 mm. ** * Rhododendron triflorum * var. * bauhiniiflorum * ** Corolla very openly funnel-shaped to almost flat. ** * Rhododendron triflorum * var. * triflorum * ** Corolla widely funnel-shaped
Cullen, J. (1980) A Revision of Rhododendron 1: Subgenus Rhododendron sections Rhododendron & Pogonanthum. Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 39(1):77