In Merr., Contr. Arn. Arb. 1934. 8: 122.
WFO ID: wfo-0000400242
IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:333167-1
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Shrub to 1.2m; branches slender, spreading. Twigs 1–2mm in diameter, rounded, densely sub-stellately scaly and sparsely patently hairy; internodes 1–6cm. Leaves 3–12 together in pseudowhorls at the upper 2–3 nodes. Blade 20–40 x 6–12mm, spathulate to broadly elliptic, usually broadest in the upper ½; apex obtuse to rounded sometimes minutely emarginate; margin slightly revolute when living, more so when dry; base gradually tapering, scaly on both sides initially, glabrous above at maturity, sub-densely and more persistently scaly beneath. Scales flat, pale-brown, with the marginal zone relatively narrow, irregularly and shallowly lobed; centres small, and impressed. Mid-vein impressed above, strongly prominent in the proximal ½ beneath; lateral veins not visible. Petiole 1–2.5 x 1–2mm, weakly grooved above, flattened, densely scaly, not clearly distinct from the leaf base. Flower buds ovoid, to 8 x 6mm, the bracts completely appressed, shiny green when young, becoming purplish-red. Bracts to 7 x 5mm, sub-circular-ovate; outer ones obtuse, rough outside; inner ones sub-acuminate, glabrous and shiny outside; margins fringed with scales. Bracteoles c.8mm, linear-sub-spathulate, glabrous. Inflorescence of 1–4 flowers, horizontal to half-hanging. Pedicels 10–15 x c.1mm, densely scaly and minutely hairy. Calyx c.3mm in diameter, oblique, shortly cup-shaped, shortly 5-lobed. Corolla 13–16 x 16–27mm, open-campanulate, lobed to halfway or slightly more, fleshy, deep red, and sometimes with a musky scent; tube 7–10 x 5–8 x 10–12mm, laxly or sub-densely sub-stellately scaly outside, glabrous inside, straight; lobes 8–10 x 6–8mm, broadly obovate-sub-spathulate, half-spreading, not overlapping in the fully open state, scaly except near the margins. Stamens equally distributed regularly all round the mouth of the flower, sometimes with a small gap on the lower side, slightly alternately unequal, exserted to c.5mm; filaments linear, patently hairy proximally for 1–2mm, glabrous distally; anthers broadly oblong, 2mm. Disc prominent, glabrous. Ovary c.3.5 x 2.5mm, ovoid, densely covered with long, spreading, white, hairs which cover the scales, abruptly contracted distally; style 5–8mm, glabrous; stigma sub-globose, green. Fruit 15–20 x 6mm, narrowly elliptic, persistently sub-densely long-hairy, laxly scaly, the valves twisting after opening. Seeds 3.5–4.5mm, without tails 0.7–0.8mm, the longest tail c.2mm, irregularly crimped.
Indonesia, Sumatra, East and West Coast.
Mostly epiphytic in rain forest, mossy forest or secondary forest, sometimes epiphytic in swampy habitats.
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:193