Rhododendron beesianum Diels

Shrubs or small trees, 2–9 m tall; branchlets stout, initially floccose, later glabrescent. Petiole narrowly winged, 15–30 mm, sparsely floccose or glabrous; leaf blade leathery, oblanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 10–25 × 3–7 cm; base attenuated, narrow to subrounded; apex acuminate; abaxial surface fawn to pale cinnamon, indumentum thin, 1-layered, compacted, hairs radiate; adaxial surface deep green, glabrous. Inflorescence racemose-umbellate, 10–25-flowered; rachis stout, ca. 25 mm, puberulent. Pedicel 1.5–2.5 cm, sparsely pubescent or glabrescent; calyx lobes 5, 1–2 mm, broadly triangular, glabrous; corolla broadly campanulate, white flushed pink to pink, inner surface with or without few crimson spots on tube on upper lobes, with basal blotch, 4–5 × 4.5–5.5 cm, lobes 5; stamens 10, unequal, filaments pubescent at base; ovary ca. 8 × 3 mm, densely pale brown-tomentose; style slightly curved, glabrous, stigma shallowly lobed. Capsule oblong-cylindric, slightly curved, 20–40 × 4–8 mm, hairy. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Sep–Nov.

SW Sichuan, SE Xizang, NW Yunnan [NE Myanmar].

Coniferous forests, Rhododendron thickets, mountains; (2700–) 3200–4500 m.

Rhododendron beesianum (宽钟杜鹃) is a rhododendron species native to northeastern Myanmar, southeastern Tibet, and southwestern Sichuan and northwestern Yunnan in China, where it grows at altitudes of 3,200–4,500 m (10,500–14,800 ft). It is an evergreen shrub or small tree that grows to 2–9 m (6.6–29.5 ft) in height, with leathery leaves that are oblanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, and 10–25 × 3–7 cm in size. The flowers are pinkish white to pink.

It was discovered in 1902 by the Scottish botanist George Forrest, who sent seeds home. However, though hardy, it is not often found in cultivation.