Fedde Rep. 1913. 12: 209.
WFO ID: wfo-0000400506
IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:331890-1
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Shrub or small compact tree to 6m. Twigs rounded, tips laxly to densely reddish-brown, scaly. Leaves 4–5 together in pseudowhorls, spaced 7–20cm apart. Blade 40–75 x 25–48mm, elliptic to obovate-elliptic; apex broadly acuminate to obtuse, sometimes apiculate by a small gland or a little retuse; margin entire, somewhat revolute proximally; base broadly tapering to the petiole or rounded-obtuse, sparsely to sub-densely minutely scaly on both sides especially beneath. Scales circular, entire or shallowly undulate at the marginal zone; centre large, impressed. Mid-vein slightly impressed above, distinctly raised though somewhat flattened beneath; lateral veins 6–10 per side, straight, anastomosing with each other and the primary veins near the edge, very slightly impressed above, a little raised or inconspicuous beneath, reticulation obscure, rarely distinct. Petiole 9–22 x 1.5–2mm, grooved above, somewhat flattened and sparsely scaly. Bracts c.15 x 10mm, ovate to obovate, scaly outside. Bracteoles c.12 x 1mm, filiform below, linear-spathulate distally, sparsely scaly. Inflorescence an open umbel of 6–12 flowers. Pedicels 6–18mm, thick, densely scaly. Calyx very small, circular, irregularly denticulate. Flowers trumpet-shaped but broadest just above the middle, white or with the tube tinged with pink, with the scent of carnations. Corolla 80–100 x 15–20mm; tube 70–85 x 3 x 4–6.5mm, cylindrical at least below, curved, sparsely to sub-densely scaly outside, laxly hairy and often sparingly scaly, in the lower ½ inside; lobes 10–15 x 8–12mm, rounded to obovate, spreading at a right angle, sparsely scaly or mostly glabrous outside, glabrous inside. Stamens slightly or not exserted from the throat; filaments very slender, sub-densely to sparsely covered with spreading hairs in the lower ½, glabrous above; anthers 3–4 x 0.8mm, orange, oblong, the cells apiculate at the base. Disc glabrous. Ovary 7–10 x c.2mm, elongate-conical, densely scaly; style slender, slightly exserted, densely to laxly scaly almost to the top, without hairs; stigma shortly conical, crenulate. Fruit c.100 x 5–6mm, red-brown, cylindrical, tapering at both ends, obtusely 5-angled.
Indonesia, New Guinea (W), Mt Agathodaemontop in Hellwig Mts; Mts Hubrecht and Wichmann on the southern and near Lake Habbema on the northern side of the Orange Mts; Mt Amdutakin in the Hindenberg Range. Papua New Guinea, Telefomin, West Sepik District and W of Oksapmin.
Moss forest, in damp ground or swampy open places
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:63