Rhododendron asterochnoum Diels

Small trees, 3–7(–15) m tall; bark gray; older branches brownish, glabrous; young shoots densely tomentose. Petiole winged, 15–30 mm, tomentose when young; leaf blade leathery, broadly oblanceolate, rarely oblong-elliptic, 17–26 × 3–9 cm; base cuneate; apex obtuse or rounded, apiculate; abaxial surface pale green, indumentum discontinuous, sparse and whitish, hairs stellate; adaxial surface green, glabrous, midrib grooved adaxially, lateral veins 19–23-paired. Inflorescence 11–18-flowered; rachis ca. 17 mm, with whitish stellate hairs. Pedicel 3–6 cm, glabrescent; calyx teeth 4 or 5, 1.5–2 mm, unequal; corolla campanulate, pale pink to white, 3–5 cm, lobes 5, ca. 1.8 × 2.5 cm, emarginate; stamens, 18–20, 1.2–2.6 cm, filaments pubescent at base; ovary conoid, 5–6 mm, glabrous; style ca. 3 cm, glabrous; stigma swollen, discoid, 5–5.5 mm in diam. Capsule oblique, 15–30 × 9–11 mm. Fl. May, fr. Jul–Aug.

W Sichuan.

Forests, valleys, roadsides; 2200–3600 m.

Rhododendron asterochnoum (汶川星毛杜鹃) is a rhododendron species native to western Sichuan, China, where it grows at altitudes of 2,200–3,600 m (7,200–11,800 ft). This small tree reaches 3–7 m (9.8–23.0 ft) in height, with leathery leaves that are broadly oblanceolate, rarely oblong-elliptic, and 17–26 × 3–9 cm in size. The flowers are pale pink or white.