Rhododendron alticola Sleumer

Reinwardtia 1960. 5: 164.

WFO ID: wfo-0000400503

IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:331911-1

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Description

Shrub or small tree to 3m. Twigs 2–4mm in diameter, appressed scaly at first, quickly glabrescent and smooth; internodes 1.5–2.5cm. Leaves 3–6 together in tight pseudo­whorls. Blade 30–90 x 12–25mm, obovate or elliptic; apex broadly tapering, obtuse to rounded, sometimes apiculate with a terminal gland; margin narrowly cartil­aginous, slightly revolute; base broadly tapering, rarely rounded; densely scaly at first on both sides, glabrescent above, laxly persistently scaly beneath. Scales small, marginal zone very thin, quickly disappearing, lobed; centre minute, dark and impressed. Mid-vein deeply impressed above, prominently raised below, often becoming broader near the base; lateral veins 6–8 per side, irregularly curved-upwards, anastomosing, faintly impressed in old leaves above, a little prominent beneath, reticulation lax, visible beneath only. Petiole 5–9 x 1–1.5mm, grooved above, flat, laxly scaly. Bracts to 12 x 5mm, ovate-acuminate, laxly scaly outside or glabrous. Bracteoles c.10mm, filiform below, slightly dilated distally. Inflorescence 3–6-flowered open umbels, the flowers hanging. Pedicels 8–20mm, slender, laxly to sub-densely scaly. Calyx c.4mm in diameter, disc-shaped, irregularly and shortly 5-lobed, glabrous. Corolla 20–60mm, tubular-funnel-shaped, bright red; tube 18–50 x c.4 x 7–12mm, laxly scaly outside, glabrous inside or laxly hairy, tube slightly to distinctly curved; lobes 12–15 x 10–13mm, spreading, broadly obovate-spathulate, sometimes with a few scales outside. Stamens clustered on the upper side of the flower, at the mouth or exserted to 6mm; filaments linear and laxly papillose-hairy proximally for c.2⁄3, glabrous and filiform distally; anthers c.2.5 x 1mm, oblong. Disc very prominent, glabrous. Ovary c.7 x 2mm, obovoid-cylindrical, densely scaly, but without hairs, gradually tapering distally; style slender, scaly at the base, glabrous distally, becoming slightly exserted; stigma thick, rounded. Fruit 40–50 x 5–7mm, sub-cylindrical, slightly curved, sub-densely scaly. Seeds 3mm, without tails c.0.8mm, the longest tail 1.3mm.

Distribution

Papua New Guinea, Fatima River, Spreader Divide, Bulldog Road, Mt Kaindi, Mt Missim, Mt Albert Edward, Mt Victoria, Mt Yule

Altitude

Habitat

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:298