异名：Rhododendron chameunum Balf. f. et Forrest (synonym)、Rhododendron charidotes Balf. f. et Farrer (synonym)、Rhododendron cosmetum Balf. f. et Forrest (synonym)、Rhododendron prostratum W. W. Sm. (synonym)、Rhododendron saluenense Franch. subsp. chameunum (I. B. Balfour et Forrest) Cullen (synonym)

平卧杜鹃（中国高等植物图鉴）

Rhododendron saluenense Franch. var. prostratum (W. W. Smith) R. C. Fang in Act. Bot. Yunn. 4: 256. 1982; 云南植物志4: 519. 1986;横断山区维管植物下册1432. 1994.——R. prostratum W. W. Smith in Not. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 8: 202. 1914; Curtis's Bot. Mag. 144. t. 8747. 1918; Hutch. in Stevenson, Spec. Rhodod. 596. 1930; Davidian in Rhodod. and Cam. Year Book, 93. 1954; id. Rhodod. Spec. 1: 300. 1982; 中国高等植物图鉴3: 44. 图4042. 1974.——R. chameunum Balf. f. et Forrest in Not. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 13: 37. 1920; Hutch in Stevenson, Spec. Rhodod. 591. 1930; Davidian in Rhodod. and Cam. Year Book, 87. 1954; id. Rhodod. Spec. 1: 297. 1982.——R. cosmetum Balf. f. et Forrest in Not. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 13: 38. 1920; Hutch. in Stevenson, Spec. Rhodod. 593. 1930. ——R. charidotes Balf. f. et Farrer in Not. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 13: 242. 1922; Hutch. in Stevenson, Spec. Rhodod. 592. 1930.——R. saluenense Franch. subsp. chameunum (Balf. f. et Forrest) Cullen in Not. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 36: 112. 1978; id. in ibid. 39: 117. 1980.

匍匐状矮小灌木，高（5-）10-30（-60）厘米；叶较小，长7-17毫米；花冠较短小，长1.4-2.5厘米；花萼外面无鳞片或偶有数个鳞片，被微毛或近无毛，边缘有短睫毛。其余特征同原变种。

产云南西北部（贡山、德钦、中甸、维西、丽江）。生于岩坡杜鹃灌丛或高山灌丛草甸，海拔（3 300-）3 800-4 800米。模式标本采自丽江。