凹叶杜鹃 ao ye du juan

Rhododendron charianthum Hutchinson.

Shrubs, 1–3 m tall; young shoots sparsely or rarely densely scaly, otherwise glabrous or pubescent. Petiole 3–5 mm, scaly, pubescent; leaf blade lanceolate or oblong, 2.5–6 × 1–2 cm; base narrower or obtuse, V-shaped; apex acute, apiculate; abaxial surface scales 1–4 × their own diameter apart or contiguous, unequal, yellowish brown; adaxial surface deep or fresh green, sparsely scaly, glabrous or pubescent along midrib. Inflorescence terminal or subterminal, shortly racemose, 3–6-flowered; rachis 2–4 mm. Pedicel 1–1.5 cm, sparsely scaly, pubescent; calyx rimlike or 5-lobed, 0.5–1 mm, scaly; corolla broadly funnelform-campanulate, pale purplish white or rosy red, with red or yellow spots inside, 2.5–3 cm, outer surface scaly or not; stamens unequal, long ones longer than corolla; filaments pubescent below; ovary 5-locular, densely scaly; style longer than corolla, glabrous. Capsule cylindric, 10–13 mm. Fl. Apr–May, fr. Sep–Oct.

Coniferous forests, open areas in forests, thickets; 1500–2800(–3600) m. Sichuan.