Rhododendron aganniphum I. B. Balf. & Kingdon-Ward

This species hybridizes in the wild with both Rhododendron phaeochrysum and R. proteoides.

Shrubs, 1–4 m tall; young shoots glabrous. Petiole 8–15 mm, glabrous or with a few glands; leaf blade thickly leathery, oblong to elliptic-oblong, sometimes ovate-lanceolate or elliptic, 4.5–12 × 2–6 cm; base rounded to subcordate; margin revolute; apex acute and apiculate; abaxial surface white to yellowish or pale brown, sometimes turning deep red-brown, with indumentum 1-, rarely 2-, layered, dense, compacted to spongy tomentose, sometimes splitting, with or without pellicle, hairs branched; adaxial surface slightly rugulose, glabrous. Inflorescence racemose-umbellate, 10–20-flowered; rachis ca. 5 mm, glabrous. Pedicel 0.8–1.5 cm, glabrous; calyx lobes 5, 1–1.5 mm, rounded, glabrous, margin ± ciliate; corolla funnel-campanulate or campanulate, white or pale pink, with many purplish red spots inside, 3–3.5 cm, lobes 5, slightly unequal; stamens 10, filaments sparsely puberulent near base; ovary 4–5 mm, glabrous; style ca. 2.3 cm, glabrous. Capsule cylindric, straight, 15–25 × 5–7 mm. Fl. Jun–Jul, fr. Sep–Oct.

S Qinghai, W Sichuan, SE Xizang, NW Yunnan.

Coniferous forests, forest margins, thickets, mountains, slopes; 2700–4700 m.

Rhododendron aganniphum is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae, native to Tibet and southwestern China (southern Qinghai, western Sichuan, southeastern Xizang, and northwestern Yunnan), where it grows at altitudes of 2,700–4,700 m (8,900–15,400 ft). It is a compact evergreen shrub that grows to 1–4 m (3.3–13.1 ft) in height, with thick, leathery leaves that are oblong to elliptic-oblong and 4.5–12 by 2–6 cm in size. The flowers are rose-flushed white with maroon flecks, and often pink streaks.