Shrubs, to 3(-5) mm, often rhizomatous. Stems: bark smooth to vertically furrowed, shredding; twigs with ferrugi-neous, multicellular, broad-rimmed, glandular-peltate scales. Leaves persistent; petiole with ferruginous, broad-rimmed, glandular-peltate scales and unicellular-hairy; blade narrowly elliptic to elliptic or oval, sometimes obovate, (1-)5-8(-13) × (1-)2-3.5 (-5.5) cm, thick, coriaceous, margins entire, plane to conspicuously revolute, with scattered, glandular-peltate scales, apex acute or acuminate or obtuse to rounded, surfaces with scattered, ferruginous, broad-rimmed, glandular-peltate scales abaxially, (scales ± deciduous adaxially). Floral bud scales ferruginous-lepidote, sometimes also unicellular-hairy abaxially, margins unicellular-ciliate. Inflorescences 5-10-flowered; bracts similar to bud scales. Pedicels 5-15 mm, with ferruginous scales. Flowers opening before or after development of leaves, erect to horizontal, fragrant; calyx lobes 0.5-2 mm, with ferruginous scales; corolla dark to very pale pink or white, upper lobe usually with greenish spots, campanulate to funnelform, 15-37 mm, with scattered, ferruginous, peltate scales on outer surface, petals connate (for 3/4+ their lengths), lobes 8-19 mm, tube gradually expanding into lobes, 8-22 mm; stamens 10, included to slightly exserted, ± unequal, 13-26 mm. Capsules borne on erect pedicels, 6-14 × 2.9-5 mm, with ferruginous, peltate scales. Seeds with short, blunt/truncate tails at each end; testa closely appressed. 2n = 26.
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A mostly more southern sp., has been reported (perhaps as in introduction) from Bell Co., Ky. It has short cal-lobes as in no. 2 [Rhododendron catawbiense Michx.], but the pedicels, ovary, and lower surface of the lvs are lepidote with small, sessile, glandular, pale to reddish-brown scales.
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