Gardens Bull. Sing. 2004. 56(1&2): 88, f.4.
WFO ID: wfo-0000406461
IPNI ID: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:60437812-2
Verified by:
Weak shrub to c.30cm. Stems pale green, rounded, c.1.5mm in diameter, moderately densely covered in brown stellate scales. Leaves in pseudowhorls 1–2cm apart, consisting of 3–4 larger and 2–3 smaller leaves, mostly only possessing leaves at the terminal node. Blade 25–40 x 10–15mm, elliptic; apex broadly acute to obtuse, sometimes with an obscure, white, non-protruding, gland-like structure at the point; margin entire, flat; base broadly tapering; with some sparse silvery, stellate scales at first but quickly glabrescent above; below moderately brown scaly. Scales rounded, or sub-stellately lobed, impressed into small pits; centres small and indistinct; distributed 2–4 diameters apart in the mature leaves. Mid-vein narrowly impressed above; below, slightly prominent just beyond the petiole but then somewhat impressed distally, translucent green especially towards the base; lateral veins 2–4 per side, smooth, broadly spreading, but disappearing before the margin, distinct above but obscure below. Petiole 2–3 x c.1.5mm, not distinctly grooved above but with a central line, pale green with brown stellate scales. Flower buds green, to 18 x 8mm, narrowly conical but contracted near the base, sharply pointed with the basal bracts spreading, the upper (inner) bracts mostly appressed. Bracts glabrous or with a few small, scattered scales outside and with scales along the margins. Inflorescence terminal, of solitary or paired flowers, held half-hanging. Pedicels 10–15 x 1–2mm, moderately scaly but without simple hairs. Flowers narrowly funnel-shaped. Calyx a low scaly disc or with two irregular longer lobes up to 2mm long. Corolla c.27 x 44mm, red, without scent; tube c.15 x 4 x 10mm, glabrous both inside and out; lobes c.19 x 21mm, spreading horizontally, overlapping to about ½–2⁄3, emarginate. Stamens regularly arranged around the mouth of the flower; filaments pale pink, glabrous; anthers 2–2.5 x c.1.25mm, dark purple. Disc green, glabrous. Ovary c.6 x 2.5mm, ellipsoid, sparsely brown-scaly, without simple hairs; style c.20mm, pink, at first lying on the lower side of the corolla tube, rising to a central position as the flower ages, glabrous; stigma c.1.25mm in diameter, purplish-red, hardly expanded from the style. Fruit 33 x 5mm, fusiform but slightly wider in the distal ½. Seeds 4.5–5mm, without tails 0.8mm, the longest tail 2mm.
Philippines, Palawan, Thumb Peak
Low mossy sub-montane forest
Argent, G. (2006) Rhododendrons of subgenus Vireya. RHS:London. Page:207