Description

Shrub to 1.5m. Twigs rounded, sub-densely scaly when young, glabrescent and whitish later; internodes 5–9cm. Leaves 2–4 together in tight pseudowhorls. Blade 35–60 x 14–25mm, elliptic or very slightly obovate- elliptic; apex broadly acute to obtuse; margin narrowly revolute; base broadly to narrowly tapering; sub-densely scaly when young, though quickly glabrescent above, persistently impressed-scaly beneath. Scales rounded, brown, dome-shaped with a narrow marginal zone, impressed and surrounded by transparent depressions. Mid-vein slightly grooved above, strong and prominent beneath; lateral veins 1–4 per side, obscure, slightly curved, parallel to each other, smooth, reticulation obscure. Petiole 2–5 x 1–3mm, semi-circular in section, grooved above, scaly. Bracts broadly ovate, fringed with scales and with a few scales on the outer surface near the tip, especially along the median line, otherwise glabrous. Bracteoles to 10mm, narrowly linear. Inflorescence a 5–8-flowered umbel. Pedicels to 7 x 0.5mm, slender, sparsely scaly. Calyx very small, disc-shaped, sub-entire, moderately scaly. Corolla 30–35 x 11mm, trumpet-shaped, white; tube 28 x 3.5 x 4mm, straight or very slightly curved, almost parallel sided, densely scaly outside, hairy and with a few scales inside near the base; lobes 5 x 4mm, spreading, circular to elliptic, with a few scales outside, glabrous inside. Stamens exserted to c.5mm; filaments slender, sparsely and patently hairy in the proximal 1⁄3 only, glabrous distally; anthers c.1.5 x 0.7mm, oblong. Disc hairy on the upper side, otherwise glabrous. Ovary 2.8 x 1.2mm, narrowly cylindrical, moderately hairy with semi-appressed white hairs and very densely scaly, abruptly tapering distally; style exserted from the mouth, laxly hairy and with scattered scales to within 2mm of the stigma, this distal part glabrous; stigma shortly-obconical.

Distribution

Papua New Guinea, Province of New Ireland, subprovince Namatanai, Northern Hans Meyer Range, 70km SE of Namatanai (the type) and also from subprovince Konos, E of Letet Farm.

Altitude

Habitat

Epiphytic shrub growing in montane rain forest on ridge tops dominated by Dacrycarpus, Decussocarpus (Retrophyllum) and Serianthes and in steep limestone country dominated by Weinmannia.

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:68