Gartenflora 1885. 34: 194, t.1196.
WFO ID: wfo-0000400580
IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:331940-1
Verified by:
Erect shrub to c.1m, commonly branching from the base and branching profusely above as well. Twigs rounded, densely covered with dark-brown scales but these becoming paler and giving the stems a grey appearance with age. Leaves 3–6 together in loose pseudowhorls, 2–7cm apart. Blade 30–110 x 10–40mm, elliptic to obovate-elliptic, variable in shape and size; apex shortly acuminate, sub-acute or obtuse; margin flat or slightly revolute, often irregularly somewhat crenate or dentate in the distal part; base broadly to narrowly tapering, dull silvery-green above often with a somewhat bluish tinge from a distance, initially densely scaly on both sides, those above predominantly silvery but with visible brown centres to the largest scales, glabrescent with age; below, densely and persistently brown-scaly, but often with narrow areas of the leaf surface visible between the scales. Scales with broad striate flanges and large swollen centres, the largest scales well spaced, with large dark centres. Mid-vein slightly impressed above, very prominent beneath in the lower part of the lamina; lateral veins 6–7 per side, irregularly spreading, the upper ones straight, all anastomosing, very slightly depressed above in fully mature leaves, somewhat raised or only faintly visible beneath, reticulation hardly visible. Petiole 9–15 x 2–3mm, weakly grooved distally, densely brown-scaly. Flower buds to 17 x 12mm, ovate, broadly pointed, with all bracts firmly appressed, purple or green. Bracts ovate to sub-circular, glabrous except for the fringe of simple white hairs and a patch of overlapping brown scales on the outside near the apex, which often extend down the middle line. Flowers 6–15 in an open umbel. Bracteoles filiform, shortly patently hairy and with a few scales especially towards the apex. Pedicels 7–11 x c.1mm, densely scaly. Calyx c.2mm in diameter, disc-shaped, covered in brown scales. Corolla 16–20 x 16–20mm, pinkish-orange; tube 13–18 x 4–7 x 5–9mm, straight, often somewhat 5-angled, glabrous or very laxly scaly outside, at least at the sinuses of the lobes; lobes 4–7 x 5–11mm, spreading horizontally or sometimes a little reflexed, broadly rounded or emarginate. Stamens at first clustered in the centre of the flower later spreading irregularly round and reaching or slightly exceeding the mouth of the tube; filaments linear, flat, glabrous; anthers broadly oblong, c.1.7mm. Disc green, glabrous or with a few scales on the upper side. Ovary 4–5 x c.2mm, sub-ovoid-conical, densely scaly; style as long as or shorter than the ovary, thick, scaly at the base, glabrous in the upper ½; stigma thick, rounded. Fruit 20–25 x 3–4mm, spindle-shaped. Seeds 5–6mm, without tails 0.8–0.9mm, the longest tail 3mm.
Philippines, Mindanao, Davao Province, Mt Apo, Mt McKinley. Bukidnon Province, Mt Lipa, Katanglad Mts. Agusan Province, Mt Urdaneta. Common on Mt Apo
Mostly epiphytic in moss forest on peaks and ridges
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:112