异名：Rhododendron augustinii Hemsl. f. grandifolium Franch. (synonym)、Rhododendron augustinii Hemsl. f. hardyi (Davidian) R. C. Fang (synonym)、Rhododendron augustinii Hemsl. f. rubrum (Davidian) R. C. Fang (synonym)、Rhododendron augustinii Hemsl. f. subglabrum Franch. (synonym)、Rhododendron augustinii Hemsl. subsp. hardyi (Davidian) Cullen (synonym)、Rhododendron augustinii Hemsl. subsp. rubrum (Davidian) Cullen (synonym)、Rhododendron augustinii Hemsl. var. chasmanthum (Diels) Davidian (synonym)、Rhododendron augustinii Hemsl. var. rubrum Davidian (synonym)、Rhododendron bergii Davidian (synonym)、Rhododendron chasmanthoides Balf. f. et Forrest (synonym)、Rhododendron chasmanthum Diels (synonym)、Rhododendron hardyi Davidian (synonym)、Rhododendron hirsuticostatum Hand.-Mazz. (synonym)

Rhododendon augustinii Hemsl. subsp. chasmanthum (Diels) Cullen in Not. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 36: 109. 1978; id in ibid. 39: 73. 1980; 云南植物志4: 490. 图版134, 3-4. 1986.——R. chasmanthum Diels in Not. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 5: 212. 1912. ——R. augustinii Hemsl. var. chasmanthum (Diels) Davidian in Rhodod. and Cam. Year. Book. 17: 164. 1963. ——R. augustinii Hemsl. f. grandifolia Franch. in Journ. de Bot. 12. 261. 1898. ——R. augustinii Hemsl. f. subglabra Franch. in ibid.——R. hirsuticostatum Hand. Mazz. in Wien Akad. Anzeig. 27: 27. 1920. ——R. chasmanthoides Balf. f. et Forrest in Not. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 13: 246. 1922.

与原亚种不同在于各部分被毛少及叶下鳞片较疏；幼枝无毛；叶上面通常无毛；叶柄背部常无毛；花柱基部通常无毛，偶有短柔毛；叶下面鳞片相距为其直径的（1-）2-5倍或更疏。

产甘肃南部、四川南部至西南部、云南西北部至北部。生于松林、冷杉林、沟边杂木林、石山灌木林或针-阔叶混交林，海拔1 700-3 400（-4 200)米。模式标本采于云南德钦（茨姑）。

此亚种的标本上显示出生长海拔越高者毛被越见稀少。