Description

Shrub or small tree. Twigs 4–6mm in diameter, at first densely brown, stellate-scaly, quickly glabrescent, rounded, or slightly angular; internodes 2–12cm. Leaves 3–5 together in pseudowhorls, or sometimes with 2 or 3 more loosely arranged. Blade 80–160 x 50–100mm, ovate to ovate-elliptic, sometimes sub-circular; apex obtuse to rounded; margin entire and flat; base rounded to cordate; brown with stellate scales on both sides initially quickly glabrescent both above and below. Scales small, irregularly lobed, sessile or very shortly stalked, each on top of a minute epidermal tubercle which remains visible for a long time beneath. Mid-vein grooved above in the proximal ½ and somewhat impressed distally, below strongly raised throughout its length; lateral veins 8–10 per side, irregular, the lowest 2 from near the base of the blade, all straight below, curved-anastomosing to the margin, smooth to slightly prominent on both sides, veins coarse, much less visible, reticulation obscure. Petiole 10–20 x 3–4mm, robust, a little flattened, not or only faintly grooved above, densely brown-scaly. Flower buds to 60 x 35mm, ovoid, dark purple, the bracts all tightly appressed, rough with short white hairs outside. Outer bracts ovate to sub-circular, inner ones broadly spathulate, obtuse or very shortly apiculate, densely covered with short, thick hairs on both sides, glabrescent but remaining rough, fringed with scales. Bracteoles c.20–35 x 1–4mm, linear to sub-spathulate, hairy below, glabrous distally. Inflorescence an open umbel of 2–6 flowers, held horizontally or slightly hanging. Pedicels 6–15 x 3–5mm, densely dark-brown scaly. Calyx c.6mm in diameter, rim-like, very shortly obtusely 5–6-lobed. Corolla 65–90 x 50–60mm, broadly funnel-shaped, dark blood-red, fleshy; tube 40–55 x 10–15 x 17–23mm, slightly dilated upwards, curved upwards and longitudinally channelled, glabrous outside, densely covered with short retrorse hairs inside in the proximal ½, lobes c.31 x 30–35mm, 6–7, spreading to the perpendicular, broadly spathulate or obovate, overlapping to ¾. Stamens 12–14, clustered on the lower side of the mouth of the flower, exserted to 12mm; filaments pink, linear, (1mm wide), with retrorse or patent hairs in their proximal 2⁄3, glabrous and filiform distally; anthers 7–8 x c.1.5mm, dark purple, linear-oblong, the base of each cell shortly obtusely bilobed. Disc glabrous, purple. Ovary c.10 x 4–5mm, sub-ovoid-cylindrical, densely covered with small flattened scales, abruptly tapering distally; style 30–40 x c.2mm, upwardly curved, presenting the stigma on the upper side of the mouth, thick, glabrous, sometimes shining; stigma shortly thick-globose, obscurely 5–6-lobed. Fruit c.30 x 18mm. Seeds 5–5.6mm, without tails c.1mm, longest tail to 2.5mm, one or both tails quite broad and often deeply crimped.

Distribution

Papua New Guinea, restricted to the Huon Peninsula on the Finisterre and Saruwaged Mts, locally common.

Altitude

Habitat

Mostly epiphytic, high in large trees in montane Nothofagus forest, occasionally terrestrial on steep slopes among grasses

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:84