Blumea 1963. 12: 101.
WFO ID: wfo-0000400165
IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:333142-1
Verified by:
Erect, few-branched shrub to 2m. Twigs 4–6mm in diameter, purplish, obtusely angular, the tips very densely and persistently scaly; internodes 3–10cm. Leaves 8–12 together in pseudowhorls, erect, or a little spreading, (the uppermost whorl concealing the inflorescence or infructescence). Blade 60–105 x 20–50mm, sub-spathulate- obovate or obovate-elliptic; apex broadly tapering to almost rounded, margin entire, slightly convex; base tapering and somewhat decurrent, young leaves covered by scales on both sides, becoming glabrescent above, very densely and sub-persistently scaly beneath. Scales sub-equal, overlapping, brown to reddish-brown and shining; marginal zone thin and wide, irregularly sub-stellately angular; centre small and impressed, leaving dark pits when the scales have gone. Mid-vein narrowly impressed above, thick and obtusely prominent beneath; lateral veins 7–9 per side, the lower ones acutely spreading, the upper ones spreading at a wide angle to the mid-vein, obscurely arching inwards before the margin, faintly impressed above, a little prominent or obscure beneath, without reticulation. Petiole 15–20 x c.3mm, flattened and grooved above, very densely scaly. Bracts to 40 x 20mm, numerous, thin, purplish, persistent for a long time; outer ones elongate-triangular to ovate-acuminate and scaly outside; inner ones elongate-elliptic to spathulate. Inflorescence a 4–10-flowered umbel. Pedicels 25–32 x c.1mm, densely scaly. Calyx c.5mm in diameter, slightly oblique, saucer-shaped, shortly 5-lobed. Corolla (only known in a withered state on young fruit) tubular below, expanded at the lobes, apparently slightly zygomorphic and red when fresh, c.30mm long, scaly at the base of the tube outside, otherwise glabrous; tube c.20 x 4–5mm; lobes c.5 x 5mm, obovate. Stamens c.27mm, with linear filaments, narrower upwards, glabrous; anthers c.3.5 x 1.5mm, sub-obovate-elliptic, the base obtuse. Disc prominent, glabrous. Ovary in a developed state (or young fruit) very densely covered with reddish stellate scales, tapering distally; style 20–25mm, scaly at the base, glabrous distally; stigma 2–2.5mm in diameter, sub-peltate. Fruit 20–25 x 6–8mm, thick-fusiform, with 5 thick ribs, densely scaly.
Indonesia, New Guinea (W), Arfak Mts on Mt Gwamongga, Anggi Gigi Lake, known only from the imperfect type collection.
Terrestrial in dense sub-mossy forest, on a steep slope below the summit
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:136