Rhododendron pendulum Hook. fil.

Straggling shrubs, evergreen, epiphytic, 0.3–1.3 m tall; indumentum whitish to beige. Petiole 4–8 mm, densely woolly; leaf blade oblong or oblong-elliptic, 2–5 × 1–2.5 cm; margin slightly revolute; apex obtuse or rounded; abaxial surface densely brown or fawn-woolly, scales ca. 0.5 × their own diameter apart, small, brown; adaxial surface smooth, shiny, scales and hairs absent. Inflorescence (1–)2- or 3-flowered. Flowers not fragrant. Pedicel 0.6–1.6 cm, densely woolly; calyx red or tinged red, lobes 5–9 mm, oblong or oblong-obovate, unequal, persisting to enclose mature capsule, sparsely reddish scaly, woolly, margin long ciliate; corolla funnelform-campanulate, white, white tinged pink, or rarely pale yellow, 1.5–2.2 cm; tube 7–10 mm; outer surface scaly; stamens 10, filaments pilose below; ovary densely woolly, scaly; style sharply deflexed, shorter than stamens, usually with a few hairs and scales at base. Capsule ovate or cylindric-ovate, 7–10 mm, densely woolly. Fl. Apr–Jun, fr. Jul–Oct.

E. Himalaya (E. Nepal to Bhutan), S. Tibet.

S Xizang [Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim].

3000-3500 m

Dense forests, cliffs, rocks, often epiphytic; 2200–3700 m.