Med. Rijksherb. 1915. 25: 2.
WFO ID: wfo-0000403120
IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:332244-1
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Shrub with erect branches, to 4m. Twigs round to angular, at first densely covered with scales, which give a grey appearance; internodes 1–8cm often with conspicuous rounded lateral buds. Leaves either scattered in loose, or crowded in distinct 5–7-leafed, pseudowhorls. Blade 20–35 x 8–17mm, elliptic or sub-obovate, rarely ovate-elliptic; apex broadly obtusely tapering, sometimes rounded, apiculate with a small terminal gland; margin thickened and crenulate by impressed scales; base very broadly tapering to rounded, densely scaly initially on both sides, glabrescent later above and then with a pitted surface; very densely and more persistently scaly beneath. Scales overlapping with broad transparent, lobed marginal zones which eventually disappear and small to moderately sized centres which are impressed, leaving pits. Mid-vein slightly impressed above, bluntly raised beneath especially in the proximal part, disappearing distally, or sometimes entirely inconspicuous; lateral veins 3–5 per side, curved-ascending, faintly impressed or often obscure above, indistinct beneath. Petiole 3–12 x c.2mm, semi-rounded, grooved above, densely scaly. Buds 15–20 x 8–11mm, narrowly ovate with a slender acute apex and with spreading tips. Bracts to 20 x 10mm; outer bracts ovate-acuminate, sub-acute with a few scales outside near the midline and margins, glabrous elsewhere but often with a greyish waxy deposit; inner ones narrowly ovate to obovate-spathulate, membranous and shiny, glabrous. Bracteoles 10–15mm, linear-sub-spathulate, glabrous. Inflorescence an open, 3–5-flowered umbel, the flowers hanging vertically, occasionally half-hanging. Pedicels 10–20 x c.1mm, very densely scaly, without hairs, forming an angle with the calyx. Calyx 2.5–3mm in diameter, very shortly cup-shaped, oblique, densely scaly outside, obscurely lobed. Corolla 20–32 x 20–25mm, tubular below, slightly dilated distally, yellow or orange, without scent; tube 12–22 x 4–8 x 6–12mm, sub-densely or laxly scaly outside, glabrous inside; lobes 6–11 x 8–9mm, broadly elliptic to sub-circular, semi-erect, overlapping to halfway, scaly outside away from the margins. Stamens unequal, irregularly clustered around the mouth of the flower; filaments linear, glabrous; anthers 2–2.5 x 1.3–2mm, broadly obovate-oblong. Disc glabrous. Ovary c.4 x 2.5–3mm, conical, densely scaly; style thick, scaly at the very base, glabrous otherwise, as long as the corolla, becoming exserted; stigma thick, 5-lobed. Fruit c.15–20 x 4–5mm, sub-cylindrical, apex long-tapering, base shortly tapering, becoming erect before maturity. Seeds 4–4.8mm, without tails 1mm, the longest tail c.2.1mm, one tail often much broader than the other.
Indonesia, New Guinea (W), the Main Range from Mt Jaya (Carstensz), Hubrecht and Orange Mts to Mt Trichora (Wilhelmina).
Sub-alpine forest, marginal forest shrubberies and in open vegetation, also on ridge crests, commonly on mossy or peaty soil, locally abundant
R. coniferum Wernham, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, II, Bot. 1916. 9: 97.
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:135