Rhododendron melantherum Schltr.

Bot. Jahr. 1918. 55: 152.

WFO ID: wfo-0000400288

IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:332870-1

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Description

Much-branched shrub to 50cm. Twigs spreading, densely leafy, densely reddish brown-scaly in the young parts, the internodes short. Leaves 24–40 x 12–17mm, opposite, elliptic, sub-sessile, the apex obtusely acuminate; base tapering, laxly reddish-brown-stellate-scaly beneath, glabrescent above. Petiole 2–4mm, reddish-brown scaly. Flowers solitary. Pedicels c.15mm, slender, densely reddish-brown-scaly. Calyx c.2.5mm in diameter, reddish-brown-scaly, very shortly 5-lobed. Corolla tubular, strongly zygomorphic, dark blood red, slightly curved and dilated to c.10mm diameter at the apex, sparsely shortly hairy outside, glabrous inside, 27mm long, lobes c.7mm in diameter, obovate-sub-circular, truncate-obtuse. Stamens c.23mm; filaments filiform, sparsely hairy; anthers 2.5mm, oblong, blackish red. Ovary oblong, slightly 5-grooved lengthwise, densely reddish-brown hairy; style filiform, shortly finely hairy, almost equalling the stamens in length; stigma globose, 5-lobed.

Distribution

Papua New Guinea, Schrader Mts, once found in mountain forest

Altitude

Habitat

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:91