Malesia 1878. I: 201.
WFO ID: wfo-0000400198
IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:333041-1
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Much-branched shrub to 50cm, with fleshy roots. Twigs 1–2mm in diameter, the upper 1–2 internodes sub-densely covered with minute brown stalked scales, glabrescent and minutely warty, or a little rough to the touch after the scales have gone; internodes 2–7cm. Leaves 4–6 together in tight pseudowhorls. Blade 10–18 x 6–12mm, obovate, broadly elliptic to circular; apex rounded, sometimes slightly retuse; margin slightly revolute; base broadly tapering, more rarely rounded, glabrescent above when mature, sub-densely scaly beneath. Scales small, variously angled or sub-stellately lobed at the margin; centre dark, small and distinctly impressed. Mid-vein impressed above, obtusely prominent in the proximal ½–¾ beneath, disappearing distally; lateral veins obscure. Petiole c.2 x 0.6–1mm, somewhat flattened, scaly. Flower buds to 10 x 4mm, cylindrical-conical, imbricate, smooth. Bracts to 6 x 3mm, membranous, ovate to ovate-oblong, obtuse, glabrous outside, or minutely sub-papillose-hairy, fringed with scales initially. Bracteoles filiform, glabrous, to 6mm. Inflorescence 1–3-flowered. Pedicels 15mm, (up to 25mm in fruit), slender, erect, densely covered with shortly stalked, brown, stellate scales, almost without hairs. Calyx c.2.5mm in diameter, brown-scaly, irregularly 5-lobed, the lobes 1–1.5mm (one or two, up to 2.5mm), sub-acute, spreading or reflexed. Corolla 13–15mm, tubular, deep pink to purplish red; tube 8–10 x c.3 x c.4mm, straight, glossy, sub-densely scaly outside, glabrous inside; lobes 4–5 x 4–5mm, sub-circular, spreading. Stamens c.12mm; filaments linear, glabrous; anthers 1mm, obovoid. Disc low, glabrous. Ovary 4.5 x 1.5mm, sub-cylindrical, densely stellate-scaly, completely without hairs, with 5 deep longitudinal furrows, abruptly contracted distally; style 6–7mm, slender, scaly at the base, laxly patently hairy for the following 2mm, glabrous distally; stigma dilated, obliquely shortly obconical. Fruit (sub-mature) 18–23 x 4mm, fusiform, densely scaly, with a persistent style.
Indonesia, New Guinea (W), Vogelkop Peninsula, Arfak, Nettoti and Tamrau Mts, possibly also in the Oranje Mts.
Terrestrial in open places on moss-cushions, or epiphytic in mossy forest.
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:230