矮越桔 ai yue ju

Shrubs evergreen, 0.5–2 m tall, much branched. Twigs terete, densely pubescent, glabrescent; bud scales inconspicuous. Leaves scattered; petiole 2–5 mm, adaxially densely pubescent; leaf blade ovate or elliptic, 1.7–4(–6) × 1–2 cm, leathery, adaxially nigrescent-punctate, puberulous on midvein, otherwise glabrous, secondary veins 6 or 7 pairs, fine veins raised abaxially, inconspicuous adaxially, base broadly cuneate, sometimes cuneate or rounded, margin plane, densely serrate, apex acute or obtuse to acuminate. Inflorescences racemose, 1.5–2 cm, pubescent or glabrous, ca. 8-flowered; bracts broadly ovate, 3–5 mm, glabrous. Pedicel 0.5–2 mm, glabrous; bracteoles ca. 2.5 mm, median. Hypanthium glabrous; calyx lobes ovate-triangular or suborbicular, 0.5–1 mm. Corolla white or pink, urceolate, ca. 7 mm, glabrous; lobes triangular or narrowly triangular. Filaments 1–1.2 mm, hairy; anthers 0.8–1 mm, with 2 spurs; tubules ca. 1.2 × as long as thecae. Berry purple, 5–6 mm in diam. Fl. Apr–May, fr. Jun–Nov.

Rhododendron forests on mountain summits, thickets on open slopes; 2500–3100 m. WC Yunnan (Jingdong).