Description

Slender shrub to 2m. Twigs 1–2mm in diameter, at first densely covered with stalked stellate scales, glabrescent and densely warty later, without hairs; internodes 2.5–6cm. Leaves 3–5 together in tight pseudowhorls. Blade 8–50 x 5–25mm, obovate-elliptic or obovate; apex obtuse to rounded, not apiculate; margin cartilaginous, distinctly revolute; base tapering; sub-densely or laxly scaly on both sides initially, glabrescent and shining above with age, persistently scaly beneath. Scales flat, marginal zone irregularly stellately lobed; centre impressed, eventually glabrescent beneath leaving only impressed black points. Mid-vein impressed above, obtusely prominent beneath; lateral veins c.3 per side, obscure above, somewhat raised and curved-anastomosing beneath, reticulation obscure. Petiole 2–3 x 0.8–1mm, almost rounded in section, scaly. Flower buds to 12 x 7mm, ovate, smooth. Bracts to 10 x 5mm, the outermost subulate with a few scales outside, then ovate, often with a mucronate point, membranous, minutely hairy outside but without scales except along the margins. Flowers solitary or paired, hanging vertically. Pedicels 8–20mm, slender, densely covered with reddish-brown, stellate scales and short spreading hairs. Calyx c.2.5mm in diameter, obliquely disc-shaped, shortly obtusely 5-lobed, scaly outside. Corolla 15–55mm, tubular, bright red, sometimes with a darker purplish margin to the lobes; tube 8–45 x 3–4 x 12–15mm, laxly stellate-scaly and minutely hairy outside, glabrous inside, somewhat curved; lobes 8–10 x 6–8mm, half-spreading, broadly obovate or sub-circular. Stamens exserted to c.5mm; filaments linear, glabrous; anthers 1.8–2 x c.1mm, obovate-oblong. Disc prominent, glabrous below, hairy on the upper margin. Ovary c.4 x 1.5mm, sub-cylindrical, slightly tapering at the base, densely shortly patent-hairy and sub-densely scaly; style slender, as long as the stamens, patently hairy in the lower 1⁄3–½; stigma sub-globose. Fruit c.40 x 6mm, cylindrical, laxly hairy and scaly.

Distribution

Papua New Guinea, Owen Stanley Range; Morobe District, Rawlinson Range, Mt Bangeta, Porget, Merimanta, Mt Wilhelm area, Porul road, Owen Stanley Mts near ‘The Gap’, Mt Ganeve, above Bakaia.

Altitude

Habitat

Epiphytic or terrestrial, forest or open hillside, common in sub-alpine shrubberies

Nomenclatural History

Notes

References

Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:217