Rhododendron taliense Franch.

Shrubs, 1–3 m tall; branchlets densely woolly-tomentose when young, later glabrescent. Leaf blade thickly leathery, oblong-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 4–10 × 2–3.5 cm; base rounded to cuneate; margin slightly revolute; apex acute, mucronate; abaxial surface with indumentum 2-layered, upper layer red-brown to cinnamon, loose, felted tomentose, hairs branched, lower layer compacted; adaxial surface slightly rugulose, glabrous. Inflorescence compact, umbellate, 10–15-flowered; rachis ca. 10 mm. Pedicel 1–2 cm, densely red-brown tomentose; calyx lobes 5, 2–3 mm, glabrous; corolla campanulate, creamy-white to yellow or pale pink, with copious crimson spots on corolla-tube on upper lobes, 3–3.5 cm, lobes 5, emarginate; stamens 10, unequal, filaments pubescent at base; ovary glabrous; style shorter than corolla and slightly longer than stamens, glabrous; stigma capitate. Capsule cylindric, 10–15 × 4–5 mm. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Sep–Nov.

W Yunnan.

Abies forests, Rhododendron thickets, mountains; 3200–4100 m.