Bot. Jahr. 1940. 71: 146.
WFO ID: wfo-0000405485
IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:333213-1
Verified by:
Shrub, c.50cm. Twigs 1.5–3mm in diameter, scaly at first, older parts glabrescent; internodes 3–4cm. Leaves 4–6 spirally arranged in the upper 1⁄3 of the upper internodes, 2 or 3 of these leaves closer together in a loose pseudowhorl. Blade 35–70 x 15–35mm, elliptic or mostly elliptic- or obovate; apex shortly acuminate, sub-acute or obtuse, sometimes rounded; margin entire, slightly revolute; base tapering; quickly glabrescent above, sub-persistently and sub-densely scaly beneath. Scales small, marginal zone irregularly lobed; centre distinctly impressed, blackish with age. Mid-vein impressed above, strongly raised beneath; lateral veins 4–5 per side, spreading, obscurely anastomosing, slightly impressed above, mostly obscure beneath, reticulation obscure. Petiole 4–8 x 1–2.5mm, grooved above, semi-rounded, scaly. Flower buds to 14 x 6mm, ellipsoid to ovoid, acutely pointed, slightly flattened, smooth, glabrous except for the marginal fringing scales and some scales on one or two of the smallest outer bracts outside. Bracts to 10 x 6mm, membranous, outer ones ovate-apiculate or subulate, inner ones ovate or obovate and obtuse, glabrous outside, margin with fragile scales. Bracteoles to 12mm, linear, sub-spathulate apically. Inflorescence 3–8-flowered in an open umbel, the flowers hanging or half-hanging, bicoloured yellow and orange, without scent. Pedicels c.20 x 1mm, laxly to sub-densely sub-stellately scaly. Calyx c.3mm in diameter, obliquely disc-shaped, very shortly lobed, scaly outside. Corolla 30–40 x 25–39mm, narrowly funnel-shaped, laxly scaly outside, glabrous or practically so inside; tube 17–27 x 4–9 x 6–15mm, cylindrical, straight, base somewhat pouched, mostly yellow but variably flushed with orange in the distal ½; lobes 10–17 x 8–16mm, semi-erect to spreading, obovate, not, or only very slightly, overlapping near the base, orange with a distinctive, translucent line from the throat to near the apex. Stamens as long as the corolla tube, not exserted, dimorphic, irregularly grouped on the upper or lower sides of the mouth; filaments linear, hairy for 2 or 3mm proximally, glabrous distally; anthers oblong, c.2mm. Disc prominent, glabrous. Ovary 5–9 x c.2mm, sub-cylindrical, densely covered with very short, sub-patent grey hairs and some fragile scales; style with some hairs at the base, as long as the stamens, lying on the upper or lower side of the corolla tube when young; stigma circular. Fruit 12–20 x 5–6mm, cylindrical, sub-densely short-hairy, without scales.
Indonesia, Lesser Sunda Is., Flores: Mts Geli Mutu (Kelimutu), Mandaswai and Mt Desu.
Epiphytic in Casuarina forest and summit vegetation, terrestrial on stony ground, on the slopes and crater edge.
R. renkkchianum Sleumer, Reinwardtia 1960. 5: 220 (orthographic error).
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:254