Rhododendron balangense W. P. Fang

Hu (Acta Phytotax. Sin. 30: 545. 1992) described fruiting material. Based on field observations, this species may have arisen as a hybrid of Rhododendron watsonii, which belongs to R. subsect. Grandia, in which R. balangense may fit better. However, the 5-lobed corolla is more in line with a placement in R. subsect. Taliensia.

Shrubs, 1–3 m tall; young shoots and petioles glabrous; bud scales persistent. Petiole 15–30 mm, densely glandular and floccose-tomentose; leaf blade thickly leathery, obovate to elliptic-ovate, 6–10 × 3.5–5 cm; base obtuse or subrounded; margin slightly revolute; apex acute, apiculate; abaxial surface with indumentum 2-layered, upper layer yellowish to fawn, loose, ± deciduous, hairs branched, lower layer whitish, appressed, persistent; adaxial surface glabrous. Inflorescence racemose-umbellate, 13–15-flowered; rachis 10–15 mm, densely gray-white to yellowish floccose. Pedicel 3–4 cm, indumentum as for rachis; calyx lobes 5, 1–2 mm, acute, outer surface densely floccose; corolla campanulate, white, 3.5–4 × ca. 3 cm; lobes 5, orbicular, emarginate; stamens 10, unequal, filaments densely puberulent in lower half; ovary and style glabrous; stigma capitate. Peduncle ca. 4 cm. Capsule oblong-cylindric, slightly curved, 22–28 × 4–6 mm, calyx persistent. Fl. Jun, fr. Sep.

W Sichuan.

Thickets on mountain slopes; 2400–3400 m.