Rhododendron pauciflorum King & Gamble

Shrub to 1 m, epiphytic; young stems finely scaly and hairy. Leaves 1.5–3 × 1–2.5 cm, obovate to subcircular, the apex obtuse, rounded or retuse, the margin slightly revolute, narrowly cartilaginous, minutely crenulate, the base broadly tapering; upper surface finely and sparsely scaly and hairy, soon glabrescent, midrib slightly impressed, laterals 1–3 pairs rather obscure; lower surface with the midrib raised at the base, soon becoming smooth or even impressed near the apex, lateral veins obscure, scales widely scattered, brown, rounded or irregularly lobed, from shallow pits in the epidermis. Flowers solitary or in pairs, horizontal to half-hanging; calyx somewhat five-lobed, hairy and scaly; corolla deep pink, shortly cylindrical or campanulate, 1.7–2.4 × 1.5–2 cm, sparsely scaly and hairy outside; stamens 10, slightly dimorphic, arranged regularly around the mouth; ovary with long silvery hairs and scales, style glabrous except with a few hairs and scales at the very base. Royal Horticultural Society (1997)

Distribution  Malaysia W

Habitat 1,400–1,800 m

RHS Hardiness Rating H2

Conservation status Least concern (LC)