Rhododendron rhodanthum M. Y. He

Shrubs, ca. 1 m tall; young shoots densely coarsely yellowish-brown-strigose. Petiole 2–5 mm; leaf blade papery, elliptic or elliptic-oblong, 3–4 × 1–1.5 cm; base cuneate; margin slightly revolute; apex acuminate and mucronate; both surfaces coarsely silky brown-strigose. Inflorescence 1- or 2-flowered. Pedicel ca. 0.7 cm, coarsely silky-strigose; calyx lobes ovate, outer surface densely coarsely strigose; corolla funnel-campanulate, purple-red, with purple flecks when dry, ca. 2.3 cm; tube cylindric, 12–14 × ca. 3 mm, outer surface sparsely long-strigose, inner surface glabrous; lobes membranous, narrowly elliptic, ca. 0.9 × 0.5 cm, vein lines conspicuous; stamens 5, subequal, 1.9–2.3 cm, exserted, filaments flat, puberulent below; ovary ovate, ca. 3 mm, silky-strigose; style ca. 2.9 cm, longer than the stamens, coarsely silky dark brown-strigose below. Fl. Apr.

Open valley forests. S Hunan.