Rhododendron anthopogonoides Maxim.

Small, erect shrubs, 1–1.5(–2) m tall; branchlets thick, scaly; bud scales deciduous. Petiole 2–4(–5) mm, scaly; leaf blade aromatic, ovate-elliptic, broadly elliptic or ovate, (1.5–)2–3.5(–4.7) × 1–1.8(–2.3) cm; base rounded or truncate; apex obtuse or rounded, mucronate; abaxial surface scales overlapping, arranged in several tiers, reddish brown or dark brown plastered; adaxial surface bluish green, matt, sparsely scaly or glabrous. Inflorescence 10–20-flowered. Pedicel 1–2 cm, not scaly; calyx lobes 3–4(–4.5) mm, oblong-obovate or elliptic-ovate, persisting to enclose mature capsule, scales absent, margin erose, ciliate and with a few scales; corolla narrowly tubular-funnelform, with spreading lobes, aromatic, greenish white, greenish yellow or whitish pink, 1–1.4 cm, tube 5–11 mm, outer surface not scaly; inner surface densely pilose; stamens 5, included in corolla tube, filaments glabrous; ovary 1–2 mm, scaly; style turbinate, nearly as long as ovary, glabrous. Capsule ovoid, 3–4.5 mm, scaly. Fl. Jun–Jul, fr. Aug–Sep.

Gansu, Qinghai, NW Sichuan.

Picea forests, scrub, slopes; 2900–3700 m.