Rhododendron nitidulum Rehder & Wilson

Small, erect or ascending shrubs, 0.2–1(–1.5) m tall; branchlets short, thick, scaly. Petiole 1–2 mm, scaly; leaf blade ovate to elliptic, (0.5–)0.7–1(–1.2) × (0.25–)0.3–0.6(–0.7) cm; base broadly cuneate to rounded; apex obtuse or rounded, mucro absent or obscure; abaxial surface scales contiguous to overlapping, fawn, sometimes with a few darker scales intermixed; adaxial surface dark green, shiny, scales contiguous. Inflorescence 1- or 2-flowered. Pedicel 0.5–1.5 cm, scaly; calyx pink; lobes (1.5–)2–3 mm, ovate to oblong-ovate, persistent in fruit, scaly, margin usually ciliate; corolla broadly funnelform, rosy lilac or violet-purple, 1.2–1.5 cm, tube 4–6 mm, outer surface not scaly; throat pubescent; stamens (8–)10, equaling or slightly longer than corolla, filaments villous towards base; ovary ca. 2 mm, densely scaly; style longer than stamens, scales and hairs absent. Capsule ovoid, 3–5 mm, densely scaly. Fl. May–Jul, fr. Oct–Nov.

C and W Sichuan.

Alpine meadows, moorlands, rocky slopes, moist places by streams; 3200–4500(–5000) m.