Rhododendron inaequale - Unequal-Flowers Rhododendron

Unequal-Flower Rhododendron is a shrub 1-2 m high ; branches more or less umbel-like. Flowers are widely funnel-shaped, white with a yellow blotch. Flowers are of varying sizes within the same truss, which motivated the species name. Stamens are probably 10, filaments rather densely velvet-hairy in the lower part, anthers 2.5 mm long, style very long, persistent in fruit, 7-8 cm. Trusses are about 6-flowered, the flower-stalks arising from approximately the same level ; flower-bearing buds ovoid-spherical, about 2 cm long. Leaves are elliptic-lanceshaped, with a dark green upper surface devoid of scales and bristles, 6-12 cm long, 1.5-4 cm broad, rather rigidly leathery, at first a little scaly on the upper surface, soon becoming quite hairless and netveined. The underside is a paler green and scaly. Capsule 6-valved, very oblique, about 3 cm. long, densely lepidote, the style persisting for some time on the central axis. Unequal-Flower Rhododendron is found in East Himalaya, NE India to Myanmar.