Pukeiti

Family: Ericaceae (Heath)

Synonym: Rhododendron vilmorinianum

Distribution: China (Hubei, Sichuan)

IUCN Red list: Least concern

Life form: Shrub - evergreen

Comments: Habit: Typically an upright shrub to 2-7m.
Floiage: Lanceolate to oblong leaves, hairy when young and on midrib below later and also scaly below.
Flowers: In umbels of 3, multi headed, wide funnels, various shades of mauve blue through to rose or white, often blotched or spotted.
Further information: Subspecies augustinii has wide funnel flowers but less so than ssp. chasmanthum. The latter often has reflexed lobes and is later flowering.