Reinwardtia 1960. 5: 117.
WFO ID: wfo-0000400254
IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:332923-1
Verified by:
Shrub or small tree to 3m. Twigs densely scaly initially; internodes 4–6cm. Leaves 3–6 together in tight pseudowhorls. Blade 40–95 x 25–65mm, obovate-elliptic or broadly elliptic; apex obtuse, or very shortly and abruptly obtusely acuminate; margin entire, flat or slightly revolute proximally; base broadly tapering, sometimes decurrent, scaly initially, glabrescent above with age, densely and persistently scaly beneath. Scales small, marginal zone sub-stellately lobed; centre becoming dark. Mid-vein slightly impressed above, weakly grooved in the proximal 10mm, strongly prominent beneath but tapering and flattening gradually from base to apex; lateral veins 10–14 per side, close and parallel to each other, straight proximally, obscurely anastomosing before the margin, with some other less distinct veins between them, all somewhat prominent on both sides, reticulation lax and faintly raised underneath only. Petiole 6–8 x c.1.5mm, very slightly or not grooved above, scaly, somewhat flattened. Outer bracts to 12 x 14mm, broadly ovate, inner ones spathulate, all densely scaly distally outside, and along the margins. Bracteoles filiform. Inflorescence 5–8-flowered in an open umbel, the flowers held semi-erect to horizontal or half-hanging. Pedicels 6–10 x c.1mm, densely scaly. Calyx c.2.5mm in diameter, oblique, disc-shaped, very shortly lobed. Corolla 55–75 x 20–25mm, trumpet-shaped, or trumpet-ventricose, white, sweetly scented; tube 40–55 x 3–4 x 7–8mm, straight, often ventricose, broadest at about 2/3 of the distance from the base; outside glabrous or laxly scaly, the scales denser at the bases of the lobes, inside sub-densely hairy in the proximal ½, glabrescent distally; lobes 8–15 x 6–8mm, spreading, obovate-elliptic. Stamens exserted to 8mm; filaments linear below and densely, patently, hairy in the proximal 2/3, filiform and glabrous above, unequal; anthers 2.5 x 0.9mm. Disc densely and shortly white-hairy or glabrous. Ovary 5–6 x c.1.5mm, elongate columnar, shallowly 5-ribbed, very densely covered with thick, almost circular scales, gradually tapering distally; style becoming exserted to 8mm, slender and glabrous or with a few scales at the base; stigma shortly obconical, crenulate. Fruit 30–35 x 4–5mm, elongate- fusiform, sub-densely scaly.
Papua New Guinea, Eastern Highlands: Mt Michael, Mt Otto, Daulo Pass. Simbu District: Engwegl, (Upper Chimbu R. valley), Gembogl. Western Highlands: Aiyura and near Wankl village, Mt Hagen. Sepik District: Telefomin.
Terrestrial or epiphytic, on grassy slopes or Castanopsis and Nothofagus forest
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:181