Rhododendron kemulense J.J.Sm.

Bull. Jard. Bot. Buit. III, 1935. 13: 448.

WFO ID: wfo-0000400037

IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:332671-1

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Description

Tree, trunk c.35cm in diameter. Twigs 3–4mm in diameter, rounded, red brown, with lax, small sub-stellate, flat scales, early glabrescent; internodes 2–8.5cm. Leaves 5–7 together in pseudowhorls. Blade 70–120 x 20–45mm, elliptic to narrowly ovate-elliptic; apex gradually tapering or shortly acuminate, sub-acute or obtuse; margin weakly recurved; base acutely narrowed; densely minutely scaly on both sides when very young, glabrescent and shining above when mature, more persistently scaly beneath. Scales minute, marginal zone irregularly lobed, fragile and disappearing early; centre dark, shallowly impressed, finally glabrescent beneath too, but remaining conspicuously punctate. Mid-vein narrow and impressed above, as broad as the petiole and obtusely prominent proximally beneath; lateral veins 7–10 per side, irregular, ascending, obscurely anastomosing, very slightly impressed above, slightly prominent or inconspicuous beneath, reticulation obscure. Petiole 4–15 x 2–2.5mm, semi-rounded, rugose, grooved above, minutely scaly. Bracteoles 20–30 x 0.5–1mm, linear, laxly hairy. Inflorescence a 7–12-flowered umbel. Pedicels 20–25 x c.1mm, laxly scaly at both ends, laxly shortly hairy, often glabrescent. Calyx 4–5mm in diameter, sub-oblique, disc-shaped, obscurely 5-angular, minutely scaly. Corolla 50–70 x 30–40mm, narrowly funnel-shaped, orange-pink; tube 30–40 x 3–5 x c.10mm, straight, sparsely minutely scaly outside, shortly hairy in the proximal ½ inside; lobes 20–30 x 15–25mm, broadly elliptic-obovate. Stamens 40–50mm, sub-equal; filaments linear and densely patently short-hairy in the proximal 1⁄3, narrower, filiform and glabrous distally; anthers 3–4 x c.1mm, oblong, base obtuse. Disc shortly hairy on the upper margin, otherwise glabrous. Ovary c.6 x 2.5mm, sub-cylindrical, scaly especially at the base and apex, early glabrescent, tapering distally; style nearly as long as the stamens, sub-densely scaly proximally, more laxly so to the middle, glabrous distally; stigma knob-like.

Distribution

Indonesia (Borneo), Kalimantan, Mt Kemul. Malaysia (Borneo), Sarawak, Mt Mulu.

Altitude

Habitat

In primary forest, said to be common locally.

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:259