Blumea 1963. 12: 102.
WFO ID: wfo-0000399954
IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:332761-1
Verified by:
Shrub to 3m, erect, few-branched. Twigs 5–12mm in diameter, densely stellate-scaly at the new shoots, early glabrescent; internodes 3–20cm. Leaves 3–6 together in pseudowhorls, spreading. Blade 180–280 x 60–105mm, elliptic, narrowly elliptic or slightly obovate; apex broadly acute, obtuse or rounded; margin entire, narrowly cartilaginous and revolute; base truncate to cordate; when young, stellately scaly, becoming glabrescent on both sides. Scales of two different types: sub-dendroid, stellately lobed, reddish-brown fragile ones, and flat, smaller, paler, less deeply dentate and longer persistent ones, the impressions of these small ones found on the mature leaves beneath. Mid-vein raised above in the proximal ½ and grooved, flat or slightly impressed distally, below strongly raised for most of the length, tapering gradually; lateral veins 9–12 per side, narrowly grooved above, becoming slightly raised when dry, beneath flat or very slightly raised, curved-ascending, joining before the margin, reticulation obscure when fresh, prominent above when dry. Petiole 7–20 x 4–5mm, somewhat flattened, not grooved above, scaly when young, upwardly directed, close to the stem to make the leaves appear sub-sessile. Flower buds to 80 x 40mm, ovoid, dark purple. Bracts to 80 x 40mm, outer bracts ovate, apiculate, inner ones obovate to spathulate, covered with short, appressed hairs and scales outside, and by longer hairs inside. Bracteoles to 85 x 1–2mm, densely hairy at the base, becoming laxly hairy and glabrous distally, also laxly scaly with long-stalked fragile scales, linear, pink. Inflorescence 5–8-flowered, an open umbel, the flowers semi-erect to half-hanging. Pedicels 10–15 x 5–6mm, densely scaly. Calyx 7–9mm in diameter, rim-like, scaly and hairy on the margin, sometimes with irregular linear lobes up to 8 x 2mm. Corolla 7-lobed, c.140mm, tubular-funnel-shaped, white with pale pink on the tube and at the junctions of the lobes, strongly scented; tube 60–100 x 8–12 x 30–35mm, straight, sub-densely to sparsely stellate-scaly outside, densely hairy inside; lobes 50–60 x 25–40mm, spreading, obovate, apex emarginate or rounded, edge crenulate. Stamens 14, exserted to 10mm; filaments hairy; anthers 7–12 x c.1.5mm, linear, base obtuse. Disc densely hairy. Ovary 15–18 x 6–10mm, cylindrical, dense hairs covering scales; style c.70 x 2mm, hairy and scaly in the proximal ½ the hairs becoming laxer distally, densely scaly only in the distal ½, sometimes with a short, glabrous zone below the stigma. Fruit 140–160 x 10–18mm, fusiform, densely covered with hairs and scales; stigma large, 7-lobed. Seeds 8–9.5mm, without tails 1.5–2mm, the longest tail 4.5mm.
Indonesia, New Guinea (W), Cycloop Mts. Papua New Guinea, Hunstein Range?
Epiphytic on tree trunks in riverine forest or in sub-mossy Nothofagus forest. Said to be common locally.
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:316