Trans. Linn. Soc. London, II, Bot. 1916. 9: 97.
WFO ID: wfo-0000400766
IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:332289-1
Verified by:
Shrub. Twigs thick, c.2mm in diameter, rounded, the tips densely covered with sessile or very shortly stalked roundish scales, lower parts glabrescent, becoming smooth; internodes 2–4cm. Leaves 3–5 together in loose pseudowhorls at the upper nodes, sometimes spiral. Blade 25–32 x 12–19mm, elliptic or ovate-elliptic; apex gradually tapering, obtuse, apiculate; margin strongly revolute in the distal 2⁄3, hardly at all proximally; base rounded or sub-truncate, sub-densely to laxly scaly on both sides initially, slowly glabrescent above, persistently scaly beneath. Scales round, entire, marginal zone narrow; centre thick, little or not impressed. Mid-vein slightly impressed above, very prominent beneath; lateral veins 5–6 per side, irregular, spreading, a little raised above, more distinctly so beneath, reticulation obscure. Petiole 2–3 x c.0.8mm, thick, scaly. Bracts to 10 x 6mm, ovate, obtuse, glabrous except for some scales near the top outside, shortly patently hairy inside. Inflorescence a 5–8-flowered umbel. Pedicels 7–12mm, slender, scaly. Calyx oblique, obscurely 5-lobed, c.2.5mm in diameter. Corolla c.35mm, pinkish-red, tubular below, dilated upwards; tube 25–30 x 4 x 7–10mm, very densely scaly outside, glabrous inside, curved; lobes c.8mm, spreading, rounded. Stamens c.25mm; filaments linear, sparsely hairy proximally, glabrous upwards; anthers 2.5mm, broadly oblong. Disc glabrous. Ovary c.5 x 2mm, densely scaly and laxly patently short-hairy; abruptly contracted distally; style 20mm, glabrous.
Indonesia, New Guinea (W), Mt Jaya (Carstensz), along the Utakwa R.
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:60