Description

Shrub to 70cm. Twigs 1.5–2mm in diameter, laxly sub-stellately scaly when young, glabrescent and smooth later, or possibly warty; internodes 2–7cm. Leaves 3–5 together in pseudowhorls, with one or two inserted lower than the rest. Blade 20–38 x 10–16mm, elliptic to elliptic-oblong; apex shortly acuminate, sub-acute or obtuse, often apiculate with a protruding terminal gland; margin narrowly cartilaginous, entire, wavy or sub-crenulate, not or very weakly revolute; base broadly to narrowly tapering, sometimes truncate or rounded, minutely rugose above in old dry leaves, with scale remains or glabrescent, laxly and more persistently scaly beneath. Scales with the thin marginal zone irregularly sub-stellately lobed; centre slightly impressed. Mid-vein impressed above, obtusely prominent beneath; lateral veins inconspicuous. Petiole 3–7 x 1–1.5mm, a little flattened, scaly. Flower buds to 20 x 14mm, the bracts standing erect away from the bud. Bracts 10–22 x 4–9mm, ovate-acuminate, tapering to a short acumen or subulate, red, membranous, glossy, glabrous, initially with scales along the margin. Bracteoles c.6mm, filiform. Inflorescence of 2–5 flowers in an open umbel, the flowers hanging vertically. Pedicels 13–20 x c.1mm, densely reddish-stellate-scaly and densely papillose. Calyx c.3mm in diameter, obliquely disc-shaped, obscurely and bluntly 5-lobed, scaly outside. Corolla 20–26mm, tubular, sub-oblique, red or pale orange-pink, thin; tube 16–20 x c.5 x 7–8mm, straight or slightly curved, pouched at the base, laxly to sub-densely stellately scaly outside, glabrous inside; lobes 5–6 x 5–6mm, half-spreading, broadly obovate or sub-circular, slightly retuse. Stamens exserted to c.4mm, unequal; filaments linear, glabrous; anthers c.2mm, broadly oblong, base obtuse. Disc glabrous. Ovary c.4 x 1.5mm, sub-cylindrical, densely stellately scaly, gradually narrowed distally; style slender, glabrous, nearly equalling the stamens in length; stigma rounded. Fruit c.22 x 3.5mm, fusiform.

Distribution

Indonesia, New Guinea (W), Lake Habbema and vicinity; Mt Jaya; Valentin Mts.

Altitude

Habitat

Epiphytic or terrestrial, in open shrubberies on ridges and epiphytic on high trees in mossy forest

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:224