Blumea 1973. 21(2): 367.
WFO ID: wfo-0000405383
IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:333318-1
Verified by:
Shrub to 4m. Twigs 6–8mm in diameter, densely scaly; internodes 5–12cm. Leaves 4–6 together in tight pseudowhorls. Blade 60–110 x 40–75mm, broadly elliptic or elliptic; apex obtuse to rounded; margin very narrowly cartilaginous, flat or minutely revolute; base broadly tapering to rounded occasionally sub-cordate; at first densely scaly above with fragile scales standing up on stalks, slightly less densely scaly below. Scales sub- circular, very variable in size, deeply impressed with large centres and narrow lobed margins. Mid-vein weakly raised above in the proximal ¼–1⁄3 but deeply grooved here also; broadly raised in the proximal ½–2⁄3 below; lateral veins 4–7 per side, spreading at c.45°, looping and joining before the margin, reticulation somewhat obscure above, distinct below. Petiole 7–20 x 3–4mm, weakly grooved in the distal part only, densely brown-scaly. Bracts to 50 x 30mm, sub-spathulate, obovate, densely scaly and shortly appressed hairy outside, inside shortly appressed hairy. Bracteoles to 40 x 5mm, linear proximally, spathulate distally, hairy. Inflorescence of 11–16 flowers in an open, flat, umbel; the flowers held horizontally. Pedicels 8–10 x 2–2.5mm, densely scaly and sparsely hairy distally. Corolla 80–125 × 40–55mm, trumpet-shaped, pink, scented; tube 65–75 × 4–5 x 10–14mm, straight, very sparsely scaly outside, densely retrorse-hairy inside; lobes c.25 × 25mm, sub-circular, sometimes slightly retuse, spreading and overlapping to c.½. Stamens exserted to 10mm, clustered in a group in the mouth; filaments densely hairy at the base, becoming less so and glabrous for the distal 1⁄3; anthers 3.5–4.5 × c.1.5mm. Disc prominent, densely hairy. Ovary 10–13 × 3–4mm, densely covered in appressed hairs which cover scales, tapering gradually distally; style densely hairy and scaly proximally, becoming less hairy distally, the central part entirely scaly, glabrous for the ultimate 15mm; stigma 4–5mm in diameter, disc-shaped. Fruit 55–80 x 7–9mm.
Papua New Guinea, Simbu (Chimbu) District, Gumine subdistrict, towards the lower slopes of Mt Digine, 2134m. Enga Province, on the Laiagam–Porgera road, Mt Maip (Tipinini side)
R. reevei Argent, Folia Malaysiana 2003. 4(2): 106.
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:69