Rhododendron vesiculiferum Tagg

Shrubs or small trees, 1.5–3 m tall, older branches pale brown, glabrous; young shoots pale purple, 3–4 mm in diam., densely glandular-setose. Petiole 10–20 mm, densely glandular-setose; leaf blade leathery, oblong-lanceolate or oblanceolate, 7.8–16.5 × 3–4.5 cm; base rounded or subcordate; margin ciliate; apex acute; abaxial surface glandular-setose, hairs vesicular; adaxial surface rugose to bullate, glabrous or with a few bristles at base when mature; midrib raised abaxially; lateral veins 20–24-paired, raised abaxially, strongly impressed adaxially. Inflorescence 10–15-flowered; rachis ca. 10 mm, tomentose. Pedicel 1.5–2.5 cm, densely glandular-setose, also with short vesicular hairs; calyx lobes 5, ca. 10 mm, glandular-setose; margin ciliate; corolla funnel-campanulate, white to rose-purple, with purple flecks and a purple basal blotch, 3–3.5 cm; stamens 10, 1.5–2.5 cm, filaments pubescent at base; ovary ovoid, ca. 5 mm, densely glandular-setose, and with short vesicular hairs; style glabrous, with similar hairs at the base. Capsule cylindric, ca. 16 × 6 mm, base with persistent calyx. Fr. Aug.

SE Xizang, W Yunnan [NE Myanmar].

Forests, rocky slopes; 2400–3300 m.