Rhododendron rarilepidotum J.J.Sm.

Tree or shrub to 4 m, terrestrial; young stems at first covered in brown scales later glabrous. Leaves 5–9 × 1.8–3.5 cm, elliptic, the apex narrowly to broadly acute, the margin flat, the base narrowly tapering; upper surface, sparsely scaly initially, soon glabrous, midrib slightly raised above, lateral veins 6–12 pairs raised, rather obscure; lower surface with the midrib slightly raised, the laterals very obscure, scales fairly dense, brown, circular to lobed and with small centres. Flowers 10–18 per umbel, more or less horizontal; calyx a low scaly ring; corolla bright orange to red often with a darker red centre, sweetly scented, shortly funnel-shaped, 2.5–3.5 × 4–5 cm, glabrous or very sparsely scaly outside; stamens 10, rather irregular, generally distributed around the lower 2/3 of the mouth of the flower; ovary glabrous or with a very few scales, style glabrous. Royal Horticultural Society (1997)

Distribution  Indonesia Northern Sumatra

Habitat 1000–2500 m

RHS Hardiness Rating H2

Conservation status Least concern (LC)