Reinwardtia 1960. 5: 75.
WFO ID: wfo-0000400710
IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:332588-1
Verified by:
Straggling, much-branched shrub to 2.5m. Twigs densely covered with stalked scales, warty and rough to the touch in the youngest parts; internodes 2–8cm. Leaves 4–6 together in pseudowhorls. Blade 20–55 x 2–6mm, linear; apex sub-obtuse; margin entire, strongly revolute to near the midrib; base tapering; densely covered on both sides with yellowish stalked, deeply stellately divided scales which fall early, leaving the stalks, thus making the surface of the lamina rough. Mid-vein faintly impressed above, as thick as the petiole and somewhat prominent beneath; lateral veins not visible. Petiole 3–8mm, thick, densely scaly with stalked scales. Flower buds c.10–12 x 5–6mm. Bracts to 3–7 x 1–4mm; outer bracts ovate, appressed, inner ones ovate-sub-acuminate, almost blunt, glabrous or with just a few scales along the outer middle line and on the margins. Bracteoles filiform, minute. Inflorescence 1–2-flowered, the flower half-hanging to hanging. Pedicels 10–12 x c.1.5mm, densely covered with yellowish, stalked scales. Calyx c.3mm in diameter, obliquely circular, very obtusely and shortly 5-lobed, densely set with nearly sessile scales. Corolla 30–35 x 17–22mm, pinkish-red or cream, without scent; tube 20–25 x 5–6 x 7–8mm, slightly broadened upwards and somewhat curved, densely scaly outside, glabrous inside; lobes c.10 x 8mm, scaly outside except for the margins. Stamens exserted to 10mm, clustered on the upper side of the flower; filaments linear, glabrous; anthers 1.5 x 1mm. Disc glabrous. Ovary c.5 x 2mm, conical, gradually tapering to the style, very densely scaly, without simple hairs; style c.20mm, red or cream, slender, with some scales at the base, glabrous distally; stigma sub-globose, greenish yellow, 5-lobed. Fruit 15–20 x 3–5mm, fusiform.
Papua New Guinea, Eastern Highlands, Goroka subdistrict, Kerigomna; Western Highlands, Upper Minj Valley on the Minj–Nona Divide; Mt Ormogadzin. Growing near the margins of forest grassland or alpine shrubberies
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:85