腺房火红杜鹃 xian fang huo hong du juan

Rhododendron floccigerum Franchet var. appropinquans Tagg & Forrest, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 15: 312. 1927; R. floccigerum subsp. appropinquans (Tagg & Forrest) D. F. Chamberlain; R. neriiflorum subsp. phaedropum (I. B. Balfour & Farrer) Tagg; R. neriiflorum var. phaedropum (I. B. Balfour & Farrer) T. L. Ming; R. phaedropum I. B. Balfour & Farrer; R. tawangense K. C. Sahni & H. B. Naithani.

Petiole sometimes with glands; leaf blade 8–11 cm.

Mixed forests, Pinus forests; 2100–3600 m. SE Xizang, W Yunnan [Bhutan, NE India, Myanmar].

As this taxon has a more westerly distribution than that of typical Rhododendron neriiflorum, it should probably be treated at subspecific rank, as subsp. phaedropum. Then, if var. agetum is to be recognized, it should be placed in subsp. neriiflorum.