Rhododendron scabridibracteum Sleumer

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New article for Trees and Shrubs Online.

Recommended citation
'Rhododendron scabridibracteum' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/rhododendron/rhododendron-scabridibracteum/). Accessed 2024-03-18.

Genus

Other taxa in genus

Glossary

Credits

New article for Trees and Shrubs Online.

Recommended citation
'Rhododendron scabridibracteum' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/rhododendron/rhododendron-scabridibracteum/). Accessed 2024-03-18.

Shrub or tree reported up to 12 m, young stems at first quite densely brown-scaly but quickly becoming glabrescent. Leaves 6.5–12 × 2–5 cm, elliptic to sub-obovate, the apex obtuse, rounded or emarginate, sometimes acute by a short somewhat deflexed mucro, the margin flat to slightly revolute, the base broadly tapering to almost rounded; the upper surface at first finely brown-scaly, the scales becoming silver before disappearing, the midrib impressed throughout its length and grooved in the basal part, lateral veins 9–12 pairs, very slightly impressed; underside with the midrib strongly raised throughout its length, the laterals only slightly raised; scales fairly dense, mostly silvery or pale brown, with a few dark brown ones, scattered rather evenly among them, lobed to substellate and slightly impressed. Flowers 6–12 per umbel at first semi-erect, later horizontal or hanging; calyx brown-scaly, a 5-lobed disc; corolla red or dark pink, tubular-funnel-shaped but distinctly curved, 6–7.5 × 4–5 cm, finely but distinctly brown-scaly on the tube outside; stamens 10, clustered on the upper side of the mouth of the flower; ovary coverd with white or yellowish hairs which tend to obscure scales on the surface, style both hairy and scaly almost to the stigma. Royal Horticultural Society (1997)

Distribution  Papua New Guinea

Habitat 1,900–2,400 m

RHS Hardiness Rating H2

Conservation status Least concern (LC)

A striking species named from the covering of scabrid yellowish subappressed hairs on the floral bracts which tend to persist around the pedicels when the flowers first open. Royal Horticultural Society (1997)