Reinwardtia 1960. 5: 125.
WFO ID: wfo-0000405631
IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:333520-1
Verified by:
Shrub to 5m. Twigs somewhat flattened, laxly scaly, often whitish when dry; internodes 3–10cm. Leaves 4–5 together in tight pseudowhorls. Blade 40–70 x 25–50mm, elliptic to broadly elliptic; apex obtuse, broadly acuminate or acute, rarely rounded; margin entire, flat to weakly and narrowly revolute; base broadly tapering, the extreme base sub-truncate or rounded, to sub-cordate, sub-densely scaly on both sides initially, glabrescent above, more persistently scaly beneath. Scales small, marginal zone thin, stellately lobed and quickly disappearing; centre minute and impressed, eventually leaving only fine blackish pits. Mid-vein impressed above, thick, broad and prominent in the proximal part beneath, narrowed upwards; lateral veins 6–8 per side, irregular, divided and anastomosing before the margin, slightly impressed above, a little though distinctly raised beneath, reticulation obscure above, distinct, sub-dense and prominent beneath. Petiole 2–4 x 1.5–2mm, weakly grooved, flattened, scaly. Flower buds to 17 x 10mm, ellipsoid to obovoid, with the outermost tips reflexed, inner ones mucronate, slightly spreading. Outer bracts to 15 x 10mm, ovate; inner ones obovate, ending in a 1–3mm point, membranous, scaly at the tips outside at first, otherwise glabrous, or with some soft hairs outside, shining, scaly on the margins. Bracteoles to 15mm, filiform below, sub-spathulate distally, laxly scaly or glabrous. Inflorescence a 4–7-flowered, open one-sided umbel. Pedicels 12–20 x c.1mm, laxly stellately scaly, without hairs. Calyx c.4mm in diameter, very obliquely disc-shaped, membranous, sub-glabrous, with 5 irregular short teeth or longer lobes to 4mm. Corolla 65–80mm, trumpet-shaped, pink with white lobes; tube 55–65 x 5 x 8mm, weakly curved, laxly scaly outside, laxly hairy in the proximal ¾ inside; lobes 10–15 x 8–12mm, spreading, obovate. Stamens unequal, exserted to 10mm; filaments linear, laxly hairy in the proximal ¾, glabrous distally; anthers c.2.5 x 0.7mm, sub-obovate-oblong, base contracted to a very short apiculus. Disc slightly prominent, hairy on the upper side, glabrous below. Ovary c.8 x 2.5mm, cylindrical, gradually tapering distally; densely white hairy, minutely scaly (the small scales covered by the hairs); style slender, as long as the stamens, laxly covered with long white hairs and scales in the lower ½; stigma yellow, globose, shortly 5-lobed.
Papua New Guinea, N side of the summit of Mt Dayman.
Terrestrial in margin of moss forest.
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:185