Shrubs, sometimes epiphytic, 0.3–1 m tall; old branches gray-white, bark peeling, glabrous, branches short and dense; young shoots densely scaly. Petiole 4–8 mm, densely scaly; leaf blade leathery, elliptic, 2–5 × 1–2.5 cm; base cuneate to broadly cuneate; apex blunt, rounded or acute, apiculate; abaxial surface grayish white, scales dense, ca. their own diameter apart, unequal, brown; adaxial surface sparsely or densely scaly. Inflorescence terminal, 1-flowered. Pedicel ca. 0.5 cm, densely scaly; calyx undulate, 1–2 mm, densely scaly; corolla tubular-campanulate, creamy or lemon yellow, 1.6–2.4 cm, outer surface scaly, without hairs; stamens 10, unequal, ca. 1.5 cm, some slightly longer than corolla, others shorter; filaments densely villous at base; ovary 5-locular, densely scaly; style longer than corolla, glabrous. Capsule cylindric, 8–14 mm. Fl. Jul–Sep, fr. Jul–Oct.

The name Rhododendron sulfureum Franchet has been misapplied to this species.

Shrubby meadows in high mountains, sometimes epiphytic on trees; 2000–3000(–3600) m. SE Xizang, NW Yunnan [NE Myanmar].