Description

Erect rigid shrub to 2.5m. Twigs 2–3mm in diameter, rounded, stellate-scaly but very early glabrescent, and rough due to the numerous minute tubercles; internodes 2–8cm. Leaves often spirally arranged, more rarely 3–5 together in loose pseudowhorls, stiffly spreading. Blade 50–90 x 20–35mm, broadly elliptic; apex shortly acuminate, apiculate or obtuse; margin entire, revolute; base truncate to rounded, sometimes slightly cordate; when young densely scaly, early glabrescent and very rough with the persistent tubercles on both sides. Scales minute, stellate and shortly dendroid, each of which is on top of a pale epidermal tubercle. Mid-vein as thick as the petiole proximally, raised (and grooved when dry) in the proximal 1⁄3 above otherwise level or slightly impressed, distinctly raised throughout its length below; lateral veins 7–10 per side, irregular, spreading, straight, indistinctly anastomosing, inconspicuous above, slightly raised beneath; very rigid, yellowish or bluish green above, often brown from the colour of the scales below. Petiole 6–17 x 2–3mm, semi-rounded, rugose. Bracts to 20 x 10mm, ovate to obovate or spathulate, obtuse, membranous, glabrous. Bracteoles to c.20 x 1mm, linear, apex sub-spathulate, glabrous. Inflorescence a 4–10-flowered open umbel. Pedicels 15–40 x c.2mm, very densely brown stellate-scaly, without hairs. Calyx c.4mm in diameter, oblique, disc-shaped, irregularly 5-lobed, or sometimes with 1 or 2 elongate, acute lobes up to 3mm, densely scaly outside, without hairs. Corolla distinctly zygomorphic, tubular below, dilated towards the mouth, red; tube 30–55 x 5–7 x 10–15mm, densely brown stellate-scaly outside, very shortly hairy inside, distinctly curved; lobes 15–20 x 9–15mm, irregularly broadly obovate or sub-circular, densely scaly outside except near the margins. Stamens unequal, exserted to c.10mm, arranged in a distinct group on the upper side of the flower; filaments linear, laxly patently hairy below, glabrous distally; anthers 3.5–4 x 1.3–1.5mm, purple, broadly oblong to obovate-oblong. Disc glabrous. Ovary 5–6 x c.3mm, cylindrical, abruptly tapering distally; style thick, as long as the stamens, densely shortly patent-hairy and scaly in the proximal ½ with the scales clearly visible amongst the hairs, glabrous distally; stigma thick-globose, distinctly 5-lobed.

Distribution

Indonesia, New Guinea (W), near Wamena, Lake Habbema.

Altitude

Habitat

Common at the edges of mossy thickets, frequent in shrubberies on peaty ridges or peaty treeless areas in forest or in mossy thickets, observed to have regenerated strongly on one burnt over slope

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:83