Rhododendron strigosum R. L. Liu

This species appears to be allied to Rhododendron tenuilaminare. In the protologue it was said to differ in having a larger, silvery-strigose calyx and a smaller, abaxially sparsely puberulent corolla.

Shrubs, ca. 1.8 m tall; young shoots densely blackish-brown-strigose. Leaves monomorphic. Petiole 3–5 mm, densely ferruginous-strigose; spring leaves with blade thickly papery, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, 2.5–3.2 × 1.2–1.9 cm; base cuneate; apex shortly acute, mucronate; abaxial surface densely ferruginous-silky-strigose; adaxial surface grayish-brown-strigose, soon glabrescent; summer leaves ca. 1 × 0.5 cm, otherwise as for spring leaves. Inflorescence an umbel, 2–4-flowered. Pedicel 0.8–1 cm, densely reddish-brown silky-strigose; calyx lobes 2–3 mm, ovate, densely reddish-brown silky-strigose; corolla campanulate, rose, becoming paler, upper lobes with purple flecks, ca. 3 cm, tube ca. 10 mm; outer surface glabrous; stamens (5–)6–10, 1.7–2.6 cm, filaments puberulent in the lower half; ovary densely silky-strigose; style 2.6–3 cm, glabrous. Capsule ovoid, 9–11 × 4–5 mm, densely ferruginous silky-strigose. Fl. Apr–May.

W Jiangxi (Jinggang Shan).

900–1000 m.