Rhododendron auritum Tagg

Shrubs, evergreen, 1–3 m tall; stem and branches coppery red, with brown, smooth, flaking bark. Petiole 5–8 mm, scaly; leaf blade leathery, oblong, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 2.5–6.6 × 1–2.7 cm; base obtuse or cuneate; apex acute or obtuse, mucronate; abaxial surface pale glaucous-green, scales overlapping to 0.5 × their own diameter apart, unequal, smaller scales more numerous, brown or dark brown, larger scales scattered; adaxial surface green, shiny, scaly. Inflorescence terminal or axillary, umbellate, 4–7-flowered. Pedicel 0.5–1.3 cm, densely scaly; calyx lobes 3–5 mm, rounded, ovate or oblong, reflexed, persistent in fruit, scaly abaxially, margin not ciliate; corolla tubular-campanulate, pale yellow to cream, sometimes with a slight tinge of pink on lobes, (1.8–)2–2.5 cm, outer surface scaly; stamens 10, ca. as long as corolla, filaments pubescent towards base; ovary densely scaly; style slender, as long as or longer than corolla, basal 1/3–1/2 scaly, otherwise glabrous. Capsule cylindric-ovate, 8–10 mm, densely scaly. Fl. Apr–Jun, fr. Jul–Sep.

SE Xizang.

Valleys, open stony banks, sheltered cliffs; 2100–2600 m.