Rhododendron haematodes Franch.

Small shrubs, 1.5–3 m tall; bark gray; young shoots densely ferruginous-tomentose to setose; bud scales persistent. Petiole 5–12 mm, tomentose, sometimes also setose; leaf blade leathery, oblong to obovate, 2.7–7.5 × 0.7–3.2 cm; base cuneate, rarely rounded; margin revolute; apex obtuse or rounded, apiculate; abaxial surface with indumentum 2-layered, matted, upper layer fawn to red-brown, lower layer whitish, thin, compacted; adaxial surface dark green, glabrous when mature; midrib grooved adaxially; lateral veins 7–10-paired, impressed. Inflorescence umbellate, 6–8-flowered; rachis ca. 4 mm, tomentose. Pedicel pink, 2–2.5 cm, densely tomentose or setose; calyx minute or cupular; lobes 5, 3–7 mm, irregular, glabrous; corolla tubular-campanulate, fleshy scarlet to deep crimson, 3–4(–5) cm, with 5 deeply colored nectar pouches at base; lobes 5, suborbicular, emarginate; stamens 10, filaments glabrous or puberulous; stigma small. Capsule ca. 10 × 6.5 × 9 mm, densely tomentose. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Aug–Sep.

SE Xizang, W Yunnan [NE Myanmar].

Pinus forests, alpine thickets, valleys; 3100–4000 m.