Rhododendrons

Rhododendron mallotum
Haematodes group
Epithet: woolly.
H3
AM 1933 (Borde Hill),flowers crimson;
AM 1973 (Windsor),as a foliage plant.
Height: shrub or small tree 1.5-4.6m high.
Flowers: very compact racemose unbel of 10-20 flowers; flower-bud large globose, densely tomentose; corolla tubular-campanulate, 28-43mm long, deep crimson or scarlet-crimson; 5 nectar pouches.
Mar-April.
Leaves: obovate, lamina very thick, leathery, stiff, 70-158 x 35-80mm, upper surface dark green, markedly rugulose, rough, glabrous, underside covered wih a thick woolly continuous cinnamon-brown bistrate indumentum of hairs.
Distribution: E. Upper Burma, W. Yunnan, 3000-3700m.