Description

Shrub, with strong, spreading branches, to 50cm. Twigs c.3mm in diameter, rounded, densely covered with appressed sub-stellate scales becoming glabrescent; internodes 3.5–8cm. Leaves 4–6 together in pseudowhorls at the upper 2–3 nodes. Blade 20–40 x 8–15mm, elliptic, broadly elliptic or rarely sub-obovate; apex shortly broadly acuminate, sub-acute or blunt, apiculate with a protruding gland; margin narrowly cartilaginous, irregularly crenulate with impressed scales or sub-entire; base broadly tapering and decurrent; laxly impressed-scaly or glabrescent above, more distinctly and persistently scaly beneath, but eventually glabrescent, leaving impressed, dark points, laxly scaly distally, dense and touching proximally, and on the petiole. Scales with a fragile, marginal transparent zone, large and variously lobed; centre more persistent, small and impressed. Mid-vein impressed in the proximal 2⁄3 above, dilated and obtusely prominent beneath, gradually disappearing distally; lateral veins 2 per side just above the base, high-ascending and with 2–3 other less conspicuous veins arising further from the base. Petiole 3–5 x 2–3mm, flat. Outer bracts few, short, ovate-subulate, inner ones to 18 x 7mm, more numerous, broadly obovate-spathulate, shortly acuminate, sub-acute, at first densely reddish-scaly, early glabrescent. Inflorescence 1–4-flowered. Pedicels 20–30 x c.1mm, very densely covered with red or orange, stellate scales, but without hairs. Calyx c.5mm in diameter, disc-shaped, scaly outside, the membranous margin reflexed and irregularly lobed, lobes up to 1mm and appressed to the corolla. Corolla 30–35mm, tubular, red or yellowish red; tube 20–25 x 6–7 x 10–12mm, slightly narrowed distally before becoming gradually dilated again to the mouth, sub-densely stellately scaly outside, glabrous inside; lobes 9–11 x 7–9mm, erect or spreading, broadly spathulate or sub-circular, very slightly emarginate, sub-densely scaly except near the margins. Stamens unequal, the longest as long as the corolla tube; filaments linear, glabrous; anthers c.2mm, obovate. Disc prominent, glabrous. Ovary c.8 x 3mm, sub-cylindrical, abruptly contracted distally, densely covered with white or yellowish hairs, which are directed forwards and cover numerous scales; style c.20mm, slender, exceeding the stamens in length, shortly hairy for 2mm proximally, glabrous distally; stigma globose.

Distribution

Indonesia, New Guinea (W), Lake Habbema region.

Altitude

Habitat

Terrestrial in low shrubberies, grassy marshes and open boggy slopes, locally frequent.

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:222