Rhododendron laetum J.J.Sm.

Shrub to 3 m, terrestrial; young stems laxly scaly. Leaves 7–10 × 3–6 cm, broadly elliptic to obovate, the apex mostly shortly acuminate to an acute point, sometimes obtuse and mucronate, the margin flat and entire, the base broadly tapering; upper surface at first brown-scaly, the scales quickly becoming silvery and obscure or the surface becoming glabrescent, midrib slightly raised in the basal half and grooved, then smooth, lateral veins 5–8 pairs, slightly raised; lower surface with the midrib raised for most of its length, the laterals smooth, often obscure, the scales pale brown, lobed to substellate, well scattered and slightly impressed. Flowers 5–9 per umbel, semi-erect to horizontal, calyx a scaly and shortly hairy 5-lobed disc; corolla yellow or yellow suffused with red or orange, often fragrant, funnel-shaped, sometimes with a few hairs at the base outside and laxly stellate-scaly, 6–7 × 4.5–6 cm; stamens 10, rather irregularly arranged in the mouth of the flower; ovary densely white-hairy and inconspicuously scaly, style hairy to just over half way, glabrous in the upper part. Royal Horticultural Society (1997)

Distribution  Indonesia Irian Jaya, Arfak Mts

Habitat 1,800–2,300 m

RHS Hardiness Rating H2

Conservation status Least concern (LC)