Rhododendron thomsonii Hook. f., Rhododendron Sikkim Himalaya 2: , pl. 12 1851. (syn: Azalea thomsonii (Hook.fil.) Kuntze; Rhododendron candelabrum Hook.fil.; Rhododendron thomsonii subsp. candelabrum (Hook.fil.) D.F.Chamberlain);

S-Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim, Nepal, N-India, Myanmar [Burma] (Kachin) as per Catalogue of Life;   

 

Common name: Thomson's Rhododendron  

 

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Rhododendron thomsonii (半圆叶杜鹃) is a rhododendron species native to northern India, Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim, and southern Xizang in China, where it grows at altitudes of 3000–4000 meters.  

It is a shrub that grows to 2–4 m in height, with leathery leaves that are oblong-elliptic to ovate or orbicular to obovate, 3–7 by 2–6 cm in size. Flowers are red. 

(From Wikipedia on 2.6.13)

 

Rhododendron thomsonii
At Yumthang valley,Sikkim
21may,2013

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Rhododendrons are real beauties of Himalaya but most of them are restricted to Central and Eastern Himalaya as with this species.

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Ericaceae (inc. Vacciniaceae) Fortnight : Rhododendron arboreum Sm. from Arunachal Pradesh, India: SCAPR-05 : Attachments (1). 2 posts by 2 authors. Sharing the pictures of Rhododendron arboreum Sm.
Date: April, 2006 Place: Sela Pass, Arunachal Pradesh, 

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This is Rhododendron thomsonii---not arboreum (leaf shape is different and not accompanied silvery-white/white scales abaxially; here abaxiall leaf scales are totally different! besides, corolla tube is more tubular or prolonged to arboreum)

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