Description

Shrub to 3.5m. Twigs 3–4mm in diameter, rounded, laxly appressed-scaly, often whitish; internodes 3–16cm. Leaves 4–6 together in lax pseudowhorls with 1–2 additional ones on the internodes. Blade 70–160 x 4–75mm, ovate-elliptic to elliptic; apex shortly acuminate, obtuse; margin very slightly or not revolute; base broadly tapering, sometimes nearly rounded, glabrescent above when mature, laxly persistently scaly beneath. Scales small, marginal zone variously lobed, fragile and disappearing, leaving dark spots; centre small, shallowly impressed. Mid-vein grooved above, obtusely prominent beneath; lateral veins 8–12 per side, straight below, curved and anastomosing before the margin, minutely impressed above, distinctly raised beneath, reticulation lax, faintly prominent beneath. Petiole 10–20 x 1.5–2mm, slightly flattened, rugose, often white. Inflorescence 7–10-flowered. Pedicels 20–33 x c.1mm, laxly scaly and hairy. Calyx 4–5mm in diameter, obliquely disc-shaped, scaly and with some short hairs outside. Corolla 40–50mm, broadly funnel-shaped, tubular below, white; tube 20–26 x 5–6 x 7–8mm, distinctly 5-pouched at the base, straight, with some scattered scales, (almost glabrous), outside, shortly hairy inside; lobes 12–23 x 12–20mm, spreading, broadly obovate to sub-circular. Stamens unequal, exserted to c.6mm; filaments linear and sub-densely patently hairy in the proximal 1⁄3–½, filiform and glabrous distally; anthers 3–4 x 1mm, oblong, the base slightly thickened. Disc prominent, glabrous or shortly hairy on the upper margin. Ovary 6–7 x 2.5–3mm, sub-cylindrical, densely covered with sub-patent short hairs which cover small scales, abruptly contracted distally; style densely hairy and laxly scaly to the lower 2⁄3, glabrous distally; stigma rounded.

Rhododendron buruense J.J.Sm.

Description

Distribution

Altitude

Habitat

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References