Rhododendron solitarium Sleumer

TSO logo

Sponsor

Kindly sponsored by
Peter Norris, enabling the use of The Rhododendron Handbook 1998

Credits

New article for Trees and Shrubs Online.

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

Genus

Other taxa in genus

Glossary

bullate
Puckered; with blister-like swellings on the surface.
reticulate
Arranged in a net-like manner.

Credits

New article for Trees and Shrubs Online.

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

Shrub to 2 m, mostly terrestrial, young stems at first densely brown-scaly and minutely hairy. Leaves 8–11 × 3–5.5 cm, elliptic or slightly obovate-elliptic, the apex rounded to broadly obtuse, sometimes with a very slightly protruding apical gland, margin slightly revolute and narrowly cartilaginous, the base broadly tapering to rounded; upper surface at first densely brown-scaly but quickly becoming glabrescent, midrib slightly raised in the basal half, impressed above, lateral veins 7–10 pairs markedly impressed as also the finer veins to give a bullate surface with clear reticulation; under surface with the midrib and laterals very strongly raised, densely brown-scaly at first with very varied dendroid scales from epidermal tubercles but the scales all easily removed at a touch. Flowers 4–6 per umbel, horizontal to half-hanging; calyx a low angled somewhat scaly disc but sometimes with elongate lobes; corolla pure white, scented, trumpet-shaped with a slightly curved tube, 5–7 × 2–3 cm, slightly scaly outside; stamens 10, exserted from the mouth in a central group but falling to the lower side of the mouth as the corolla ages; ovary densely covered with hairs and scales, style hairy and scaly in the basal glabrous above. Royal Horticultural Society (1997)

Distribution  Papua New Guinea Morobe Province, Mt Kaindi

Habitat 1,700–2,000 m

RHS Hardiness Rating H2

Conservation status Least concern (LC)

This species with its bullate, strongly reticulate leaves and dark brown dendroid scales is very distinct and most attractive. It is unlikely to be confused with any other although the flowers might suggest affinities in Subsect. Solenovireya. Royal Horticultural Society (1997)