Reinwardtia 1960. 5: 171.
WFO ID: wfo-0000405440
IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:333424-1
Verified by:
Shrub to 2m. Twigs 1–1.5mm in diameter, rounded, densely sub-stellate with shortly stalked scales, quickly glabrescent, leaving the surface warty with low scale bases; internodes 3–9cm. Leaves 3–6 together in tight pseudowhorls. Blade 25–45 x 10–23mm, obovate, more rarely elliptic; apex rounded or obtuse, sometimes minutely emarginate; margin entire or minutely crenulate, distinctly revolute in the proximal ½, hardly or not revolute distally; base tapering; glabrescent and densely rugulose above, densely scaly beneath. Scales with the thin marginal zone angular or obtusely sub-stellately lobed; centre persistent, thickened, reddish brown and slightly impressed. Mid-vein narrowly impressed above, prominent beneath but tapering gradually distally; lateral veins 1–3 per side, inconspicuous or obscure. Petiole 3–4 x 1–1.5mm, scaly, flattened. Flower buds to 10 x 4mm, with the outermost bract tips spreading, the inner ones erect. Bracts 10–15 x 5–6mm, ovate but with long subulate points, glabrous outside or with minute, almost papillose hairs and fragile scales along the margins, glabrous inside. Bracteoles c.10mm, filiform. Flowers in pairs or solitary, hanging vertically. Pedicels 10–18 x 0.75mm, densely covered with stellate, stalked scales and short hairs. Calyx c.3mm in diameter, oblique, very shortly irregularly 5-lobed, revolute, scaly and hairy outside, ciliate on the margin. Corolla 30–50 x 20–25mm, tubular, slightly expanded distally, dark-red, without scent; tube 30–35 x 4–5 x 8–13mm, weakly curved, laxly scaly or glabrous outside, glabrous inside; lobes 6–12 x 6–10mm, erect, or half-spreading, spathulate-obovate or sub-circular. Stamens unequal, exserted to 10mm; filaments linear, 1mm wide at the base, glabrous; anthers c.3 x 1mm, broadly oblong, cells obtuse or provided with an indistinct basal apiculus, very dark almost black. Disc prominent, glabrous or with hairs on the upper margin. Ovary 6–8 x c.2mm, sub-cylindrical, densely stellately scaly, gradually tapering distally; style glabrous, or with a few hairs at the base, as long as or slightly longer than the corolla; stigma rounded.
Indonesia, New Guinea (W), Bele R. Valley, NE of Lake Habbema; Sibil valley, Snow Mts.
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:227