Rhododendron argyrophyllum Franch.

Three subspecies may be recognized in China. In addition, var. glabriovarium M. Y. He (Acta Phytotax. Sin. 35: 66. 1997), described from C Sichuan (Dayi), needs to be considered. It differs from typical Rhododendron argyrophyllum in having the pistil longer than the corolla and in the glabrous ovary and style.

Small trees or shrubs, 3–7 m tall; bark grayish, rough; shoots greenish, glabrous when young. Petiole slender, 15–35 mm, glabrescent; leaf blade leathery or thickly leathery, narrowly elliptic or oblong-lanceolate, 8–13 × 2–4 cm; base cuneate; margin entire and slightly reflexed; apex acute; abaxial surface indumentum thin silvery-white felty to fawn plastered; adaxial surface deep green, slightly floccose when young, glabrous when mature, midrib prominent abaxially, grooved adaxially; lateral veins 12–14-paired, obscure on both surfaces. Inflorescence lax, 6–9-flowered; rachis 10–15 mm, rufous tomentose. Pedicel 1.5–3.5 cm, pubescent; calyx lobes 5, ca. 2 mm; corolla funnel-campanulate or campanulate, narrow or broad at base, white or pink, with purple or rose spots within on upper part, 2.5–3.5 cm, lobes 5, obovate, ca. 1 × 1.5 cm, emarginate; stamens 12–15(–16), unequal, 1.2–2.5 cm, filaments tomentose at base; ovary cylindric-oblong, ca. 8 mm, with white or grayish indumentum; style ca. 1.8 cm, glabrous, stigma capitate. Capsule cylindric, usually curved, 18–25 × ca. 6 mm, pubescent when young. Fl. Apr–May, fr. Jul–Aug.

E and NW Guizhou, S and W Sichuan, NE Yunnan.

Forests, thickets; 1600–2300 m.

Rhododendron argyrophyllum (银叶杜鹃) is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae. It is native to forested slopes at 1,600–2,300 m (5,200–7,500 ft) in E and NW Guizhou, S and W Sichuan, and NE Yunnan in China.