Rhododendron aberconwayi Cowan

The present authors have seen no material of Rhododendron maxiongense C. Q. Zhang & D. Paterson (Novon 13: 156. 2003), described from NE Yunnan. It is very close to R. aberconwayi, but the trivial nature of the cited distinguishing features (plants lower, 0.6–0.9 m; corolla without dark flecks; stamens pilose below) suggests that the two species are conspecific.

Shrubs, 1.5–2.5 m tall; older branches glabrous; branches slender; young shoots puberulent and glandular. Petiole cylindric, 5–10 mm, sparsely tomentose; leaf blade thick, leathery, ovate-elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, 2.5–5 × 1–1.8 cm; base broadly cuneate or rounded; margin strongly revolute; apex acute; abaxial surface pale, with red punctate hair bases on veins; adaxial surface smooth, glabrous, midrib slightly raised abaxially, grooved adaxially; lateral veins 8–9-paired. Inflorescence racemose-umbellate, 7–11-flowered; rachis stout, 10–25 mm, densely tomentose, eglandular. Pedicel 1.5–3.5 cm, glandular-hairy; calyx discoid; lobes 5, ca. 1 mm; sparsely hairy, glandular-ciliate; corolla open-cup- or saucer-shaped, white or pink with purple flecks, 2–3 cm, without nectar pouches; lobes 5, orbicular, ca. 1.3 × 1.5 cm, emarginate; stamens 10, unequal, 1–1.5 cm, filaments glabrous; ovary conoid, ca. 4 × 2 mm, 9- or 10-locular; style ca. 1.3 cm, glandular-hairy to tip. Capsule 18–2 × ca. 10 mm. Fl. May, fr. Oct.

NC Yunnan.

Thickets on slopes; 2200–2500 m.

Rhododendron aberconwayi (碟花杜鹃) is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae, native to north-central Yunnan, China, where it grows at altitudes of 2,200–2,500 m (7,200–8,200 ft). This evergreen shrub grows to 1.5–2.5 m (4.9–8.2 ft) in height, with leathery leaves that are oblong-elliptic to broadly lanceolate, 2.5–5 by 1–1.8 cm in size. The flowers are predominantly white or pale pink, spotted purple.

This is a hardy plant requiring full sun and ericaceous (acid pH) soil.