Trans. R. Soc. Vict. n.s. 1889. 1(2): 23.
WFO ID: wfo-0001257576
Verified by:
Shrub, c.1m. Twigs c.2mm in diameter, slender, densely dark brown stellate-scaly at first, glabrescent and rough later; internodes 3–8cm. Leaves 3–4 together in pseudowhorls or more loosely crowded in tight spirals. Blade 40–100 x 25–55mm, elliptic or mostly obovate-elliptic; apex rounded, obtuse often apiculate; margin entire, slightly revolute; base broadly tapering or rounded; initially covered with a dense, dark reddish brown covering, of stellate scales on both sides, becoming smooth above but remaining scaly for a longer time beneath, ultimately glabrescent there also, but remaining distinctly rough to the touch. Scales small, deeply divided, sub-sessile but each on top of a minute epidermal tubercle, very fragile. Mid-vein slightly impressed above, thick and prominent beneath; lateral veins 5–7 per side, straight below, irregularly curved-ascending and anastomosing in the upper part, faintly prominent when young, a little impressed above in fully mature leaves, prominent beneath, reticulation dense and conspicuous, visible on both sides. Petiole 5–8 x 1–1.5mm, not or only weakly and obscurely grooved, densely brown, stellately scaly. Flower buds to 25 x 13mm, ovoid to ovoid-cylindrical, acutely to obtusely pointed, smooth with all the bracts tightly appressed, predominantly green and glabrous except for the marginal fringes of brown stellate scales. Bracts to 15 x 8mm, ovate to obovate-spathulate, the basal triangular and brown scaly outside, upper ones obtuse, glabrous except for the marginal scales. Bracteoles to 15 x 1mm, linear-spathulate, sub-glabrous. Inflorescence of 2–5 flowers in one-sided umbels, hanging to half-hanging. Pedicels 14–25 x c.2mm, densely stellately scaly (sometimes apparently with hairs as the scales can be very pale), green. Calyx c.3mm in diameter, reduced to an almost circular disc, which may be irregularly dentate, densely stellate-scaly. Corolla tubular below, expanded distally, zygomorphic, pink to deep red, or cream; tube 30–40 x 5–8 x 10–16mm, curved, brown scaly outside, shortly patently white hairy inside; lobes 16 x 13mm, scaly outside except near the margins, gradually reflexed so that the tips are almost perpendicular, overlapping c.halfway. Stamens exserted to c.20mm, clustered together on the upper side of the flower, slightly unequal; filaments dark red, sparsely to densely, patently hairy in the proximal 1⁄3–½; anthers 2.5–3 x c.1mm, purple, oblong. Disc densely white-hairy at the upper margin. Ovary 5–7 x 2–3mm, cylindrical, densely and exclusively pale brown-stellate-scaly, tapering distally; style on the upper side of the corolla tube, pale brown-stellately scaly and sometimes very laxly hairy at least in its proximal ½, often to nearly the top, glabrous near the tip; stigma broadly obconical-globose, dark purple, at first below the mouth of the flower, becoming exserted, often beyond the anthers.
Papua New Guinea, West Sepik District, above Telefomin; Western Highlands, Nondugl; Southern Highlands; Enga Province; Simbu (Chimbu) District; Eastern Highlands District, Goroka region; Central District, Mt Musgrave. Indonesia, New Guinea (W), recorded from around Wamena.
Epiphytic or terrestrial on ridges (including limestone ridges)
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:93