Description

Shrub to 1.5m. Twigs erect, slender, tips laxly scaly with stalked scales, lower parts covered with the scars and thick leaf-cushions of the fallen leaves. Leaves densely spiral. Blade 5–14 x 3–8mm, ovate, elliptic-ovate or elliptic; apex shortly acuminate or acute with a small terminal gland; margin slightly cartilaginous, flat, crenulate where marginal scales are attached; base sub-truncate, rounded, or broadly tapering; very laxly scaly and early glabrescent above, laxly and persistently scaly beneath. Scales circular or nearly so; margin entire or sub-entire; centre mostly small, not or weakly impressed. Mid-vein minutely or not impressed above, slightly raised beneath; lateral veins obscure or 1 or 2 per side faintly visible. Petiole 1–2 x c.2mm, laxly scaly. Bracts to 13 x 8mm, ovate-acuminate, membranous, glabrous or laxly scaly outside along the mid-vein, glossy, the margin crenulate with sunken glands distally, entire proximally. Bracteoles 6–10 x 1–2mm, linear-sub-spathulate, glabrous. Flowers solitary or in pairs. Pedicels 10–14mm, thick, densely covered with sub-sessile scales. Calyx minute, oblique, disc-shaped with an undulate margin, laxly scaly outside. Corolla 25–32mm, tubular, dark to light red; tube 16–22 x 3–4 x 8–10mm, laxly scaly proximally, almost glabrous distally, glabrous inside; lobes 6–8 x 4–6mm, broadly elliptic to sub-circular, erect or slightly spreading, overlapping to c.¾, margin undulate. Stamens c.25mm, unequal; filaments linear, glabrous, somewhat dilated towards the base, filiform distally; anthers 1.5–1.7 x c.1mm, brown, broadly sub-obovate-elliptic. Disc glabrous, the lobes thick and a little prominent. Ovary c.4 x 2mm, obliquely ovoid-conical, very densely scaly, without hairs, abruptly narrowed distally; style c.15mm, glabrous; stigma gradually thickened or conical, its numerous lobes irregularly club-shaped.

Distribution

Indonesia, New Guinea (W), Lake Habbema and Hubrecht Mts. Papua New Guinea, Mt Auriga.

Altitude

Habitat

Usually terrestrial in open vegetation, near Lake Habbema said to be plentiful in shrubberies with thick ground moss, or on peaty ridges

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:142