灌木或小乔木,枝条细瘦。叶纸质,椭圆形或长倒卵形,下面无毛或有薄毛被。花序常5-8花,稀仅1花或多至11花;总轴短,长不超过5毫米;花萼小,长1-5毫米,稀达10毫米,不等大;花冠漏斗状,乳白色或蔷薇色,基部狭窄;雄蕊10;子房有腺体或硬毛;花柱光滑(只有显萼杜鹃 R. erythrocalyx Balf. f. et Forrest有腺体到顶)。蒴果细瘦,弯弓形。
本亚组的模式种:多变杜鹃 R. selense Franch.
共约9种2亚种1变种,集中分布于我国西南部高山区域,1种分布至缅甸。
毛萼杜鹃 Rhododendron bainbridgeanum Tagg et Forrest 变光杜鹃 Rhododendron calvescens Balf. f. et Forrest 漏斗杜鹃 Rhododendron dasycladoides Hand.-Mazz. 显萼杜鹃 Rhododendron erythrocalyx Balf. f. et Forrest 喙尖杜鹃 Rhododendron esetulosum Balf. f. et Forrest 硬毛杜鹃 Rhododendron hirtipes Tagg 少花杜鹃 Rhododendron martinianum Balf. f. et Forrest 多变杜鹃 Rhododendron selense Franch. 刚刺杜鹃 Rhododendron setifertum Balf. f. et Forrest
麻花杜鹃亚组Subsect Maculifera Sleumer 树形杜鹃亚组Subsect. Arborea Sleumer 银叶杜鹃亚组Subsect. Argyrophylla Sleumer 耳叶杜鹃亚组Subsect. Auriculata Sleumer 硬刺杜鹃亚组Subsect. Barbata Sleumer 钟花杜鹃亚组Subsect. Campanulata Sleumer 弯果杜鹃亚组Subsect. Campylocarpa Sleumer 杯毛杜鹃亚组Subsect. Falconera Sleumer 云锦杜鹃亚组Subsect. Fortunea Sleumer 猩红杜鹃亚组Subsect. Fulgensia Chamb. 镰果杜鹃亚组Subsect. Fulva Sleumer 粘毛杜鹃亚组Subsect. Glischra (Tagg) Chamb. 大叶杜鹃亚组Subsect. Grandia Sleumer 朱红大杜鹃亚组Subsect. Griersoniana Davidian ex Chamb. 露珠杜鹃亚组Subsect. Irrorata Sleumer 黄钟杜鹃亚组Subsect. Lanata Chamb. 火红杜鹃亚组Subsect. Neriiflora Sleumer 星毛杜鹃亚组Subsect. Parishia Sleumer 长序杜鹃亚组Subsect. Pontica Sleumer 漏斗杜鹃亚组Subsect. Selensia Sleumer 大理杜鹃亚组Subsect. Taliensia Sleumer 蜜腺杜鹃亚组Subsect. Thomsonia Sleumer 圆叶杜鹃亚组Subsect. Williamsiana (Cowan et Davidian) Chamb.