Description

Shrub to 2m. Twigs 2–4mm in diameter, thick, densely stellate-scaly, rounded, densely warty and rough to the touch; internodes 3–10cm. Leaves 5–10 together in pseudowhorls. Blade 25–60 x 15–50mm, ovate, elliptic or sub-circular, sometimes obovate-elliptic, sub-sessile; apex obtuse to rounded; margin distinctly recurved in dry specimens; base broadly rounded or mostly shortly cordate; densely stellate-scaly on both sides at first, quickly glabrescent above, the scales more persistent beneath, rough with the numerous minute tubercles on both sides especially beneath. Scales small, deeply divided, sub-sessile each on top of a small persistent elevated pale tubercle. Mid-vein a little impressed above, strongly obtusely prominent in its basal ½ beneath, gradually less so distally; lateral veins 5–9 per side, inconspicuous, spreading irregularly, faintly anastomosing before the margin, very slightly impressed in fully mature leaves above, somewhat prominent beneath, rigid, greyish green to dark green above, brown below. Petioles 1–2.5 x 1–2mm, somewhat flattened. Bracts to 20 x 10mm, membranous, outer ones smaller, ovate to sub-circular, shortly subulate-acuminate, scaly and shortly hairy outside at the apex; inner ones larger, obovate to spathulate, glabrous. Bracteoles to 20 x 1mm, linear, laxly hairy or nearly glabrous. Inflorescence a 5–9-flowered umbel. Pedicels 15–30 x c.1mm, red, densely stellate-scaly. Calyx c.4mm in diameter, oblique, in the form of a shallow cup, densely scaly outside, very shortly and obtusely 5-lobed. Corolla 35–45 x 35–45mm, regular, white or to deep pink, sometimes with the tube of a more intense colour than the lobes, scented; tube 20–28 x 4 x 10mm, funnel-shaped, laxly scaly outside and sparsely hairy inside; lobes 15–19 x 15–19mm, spreading perpendicularly, sub-circular with some scales at the base outside, glabrous otherwise. Stamens somewhat exserted from the throat; filaments linear, sparsely hairy in the proximal ½–2⁄3, glabrous distally; anthers 3–4 x 1mm, oblong. Disc low, hairy at the upper margin only. Ovary conical-cylindrical, densely covered with white spreading hairs and stellate scales which are often hidden between and below the hairs, gradually tapering distally; style 20–23mm, slender and covered with spreading hairs and some scales in the lower ½–2⁄3, glabrous distally; stigma globose. Fruit 15–18 x 6–8mm, sub-cylindrical, densely brown-stellate-scaly and hairy.

Distribution

Indonesia, New Guinea (W), Arfak Mts.

Altitude

Habitat

Terrestrial in heath-forest on ridges at the edge of degraded Nothofagus forest, or on the burnt open summit areas, on poor clayey soil, granite and quartzite

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:74