Rhododendron wallichii Hook. fil.

Shrubs 2–4 m tall; young shoots ca. 5 mm in diam., glabrous or floccose. Petiole often reddish, 10–15 mm, glabrous or sometimes tomentose; leaf blade leathery, elliptic to oblong- obovate, 7–12 × 2.5–5 cm; base rounded or cordate; margin slightly revolute; apex obtuse or rounded, mucronate; abaxial surface glabrous or brown to ferruginous, indumentum granular, discontinuous, ± detersile, hairs fasciculate. Inflorescence racemose-umbellate, 5–8-flowered; rachis ca. 20 mm, hairy or glabrous. Pedicel 0.1–0.25 cm, glabrous or floccose; calyx lobes 0.5–2 mm, rounded or triangular, glabrous or floccose; corolla broadly campanulate, lilac-purple, purplish red or whitish, ± deeply rose-spotted, 3.5–5 cm, lobes 5; stamens 10, unequal; filaments pubescent at base; ovary 5–7 mm, 5–6-locular, glabrous, rarely with a few pubescent hairs; style glabrous; stigma lobed. Capsule slightly curved, 15–30 × 5–7 mm, glabrous. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Jul–Sep.

S Xizang [Bhutan, NE India (Darjiling), E Nepal, Sikkim].

Mixed forests, mountain slopes; 3000–4300 m.

Rhododendron wallichii (簇毛杜鹃) is a rhododendron species native to northeastern India, eastern Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, and southern Xizang in China, where it grows at altitudes of 3,000–4,300 m (9,800–14,100 ft). Growing to 2–4 m (6.6–13.1 ft) in height, it is an evergreen shrub with leathery leaves that are elliptic to oblong-obovate, 7–12 by 2.5–5 cm in size. The flowers are purple-red to white, with red spots. Some authorities consider it a synonym of Rhododendron campanulatum.