Description

Dwarf shrub, to 15cm, forming tussocks, large cushions or dense mats, up to 1m in diameter, with subterranean spreading woody branches. Twigs thick, those above ground very short, stellate-scaly near the apex which is densely packed with spreading leaves, sometimes more elongate and decumbent, with 2 internodes. Leaves 6–10 together in pseudowhorls at the apex and the ultimate node. Blade 16–34 x 3–7mm, linear to narrowly elliptic or narrowly elliptic-obovate; apex shortly acuminate, often apiculate or almost mucronate; margin weakly revolute; base gradually tapering; glabrescent above, laxly scaly beneath. Scales small, the marginal zone irregularly and often obtusely dentate or angular with the centre impressed. Mid-vein impressed above, obtusely prominent beneath; lateral veins 2–3 steeply ascending on each side, very slightly impressed above, or often inconspicuous, below inconspicuous. Petiole 3–7 x 1–2mm, grooved, flat, not clearly distinct from the leaf blade. Flower buds to 12 x 6mm, ovate to obovate, acutely pointed. Bracts to 15 x 5mm, the outer acutely pointed, green, scaly outside, inner ovate and broadly pointed, pink glossy, glabrous except for the fringe of scales round the margins, often becoming brown on opening, innermost spathulate. Bracteoles 16 x c.1mm, linear, glabrous, or with a few short hairs but fringed with scales on long hair-like stalks. Flowers solitary, or rarely in twos, half-hanging to hanging. Pedicels erect, red, 25–100 x 2–3mm, laxly to sub-densely scaly, sometimes also laxly covered with short patent hairs. Calyx c.6mm in diameter, oblique, disc-shaped, wavy and obtusely 5-lobed (sometimes with longer, irregular lobes up to 2mm), scaly and sometimes shortly hairy, often fringed with hairs. Corolla 30–35 x 25–30mm, pink to red, without scent; tube 17–25 x 5–8 x 10–15mm, curved, cylindrical, often grooved, densely stellate-scaly outside, shortly hairy inside; lobes 13–15 x 11–16mm, broadly spathulate or sub-circular. Stamens mostly clustered on the upper side of the corolla but often irregularly arranged, exserted to 10mm, sub-equal; filaments linear, laxly patently hairy in the proximal 1⁄3, glabrous above, red; anthers c.2.8 x 1.5mm, broadly oblong-obovate. Disc prominent, glabrous or hairy along the upper margin. Ovary c.7 x 5mm, conical, tapering distally; style 12–22 x 1–2mm, held on the upper side of the corolla tube, densely hairy with semi-appressed white hairs and obscurely scaly, the hairs covering the scales; style as long as or slightly shorter than the stamens, thick, hairy and scaly in the basal 1⁄3, then with hairs only to c.halfway, glabrous distally; stigma to 3mm in diameter, oblique. Fruit 15–20 x 6–8mm, erect, narrowly ellipsoid, shortly hairy and scaly, the outer coat irregularly splitting and then dividing from the apex into 5 valves, the axis and style persistent for a long time, the valves becoming reflexed and twisted, fruit pedicel 60–110mm. Seeds 2.5–3.2mm, without tails c.1mm, the longest tail c.1.2mm.

Distribution

Indonesia, New Guinea (W), along the Main Range in suitable habitats; recorded from: Mt Jaya, Mt Wilhelmina, Oranje Mts; Star Mts. Papua New Guinea, Star Mts, Western and Southern Highlands: Hagen Range, Mt Giluwe and Mt Sugarloaf.

Altitude

Habitat

In open alpine grassland, occasionally on shrubby ridges; locally abundant and a conspicuous feature in bogs or forest openings, on peaty soil.

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:153