Shrubs, 1–4.5 m tall; young shoots ca. 5 mm in diam., glabrous. Petiole 15–20 mm, initially tomentose, later glabrescent; leaf blade leathery, broadly elliptic to oblong-elliptic, 5–15 × 3–6 cm; base rounded, obtuse or semicordate; apex obtuse or rounded, mucronate; abaxial surface yellowish, fulvous, rust-brown or rust-yellow, indumentum thin or thickly felted; adaxial surface with or without metallic luster when young. Inflorescence racemose-umbellate, 8–12-flowered; rachis 20–30 mm. Pedicel 1.5–3.5 cm, glabrous; calyx 1–2 mm, glabrous; corolla broadly campanulate, white to pale rose or lilac to purple, upper interior ± purple-spotted, 3.5–4 cm, lobes 5; stamens 10, unequal, filaments pubescent at base; ovary ca. 7 mm, glabrous; style ca. 2.8 cm, glabrous, stigma slightly lobulate. Capsule slightly curved, 20–30 × 4–5 mm. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Jul–Sep.
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An evergreen shrub. It grows 2.5 m high. The leaves are 5-10 cm long and 2.5-5 cm wide. They are oval and rough. There is a brown covering underneath. The flowers are in loose clusters at the ends of branches. They can be white, pale red or purple.
Found on open slopes in the alpine zone; at elevations from 2,800-4,400 metres. Rhododendron thickets, forests, mountain slopes.
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A temperate plant. In Tibet it grows between 3,100-4,300 m above sea level. In Rhodo gardens.
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