Rhododendron bulu Hutchinson

Erect and tufted or straggling shrubs, 0.3–1.6 m tall; branchlets densely scaly. Petiole 1–3(–4) mm, scaly; leaf blade elliptic, elliptic-ovate or oblong-elliptic, (0.8–)1.2–2.3 × 0.3–0.6(–0.8) cm; base broadly cuneate; apex rounded, obscurely mucronate; abaxial surface pale yellow, scales irregularly contiguous to overlapping, pale, tan, straw or brown, with some larger and darker scales among them; adaxial surface dark green, scales contiguous to overlapping. Inflorescence 1–3(–5)-flowered. Pedicel 1–2 cm, scaly; calyx reddish; lobes 1–2(–4) mm, triangular to slightly rounded, scaly, margin scaly and sparsely ciliate; corolla funnelform, pinkish purple to deep purple or occasionally white, (0.9–)1.1–1.2(–1.5) cm; tube 2.5–3(–5) mm; outer surface sparsely scaly, rarely pubescent; throat pubescent; stamens (8–)10; filaments pubescent towards base; ovary (1.5–)2–2.5 mm, scaly; style 1.2–1.7 cm, longer than stamens, base sparsely scaly and pubescent. Capsule ovoid, ca. 5 mm, densely scaly. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Jul–Sep.

S Xizang.

Mixed forests, thickets, wooded hillsides, scrub; 2900–3900 m.