A newly reintroduced rare species which forms a dwarf evergreen shrub with remarkable foliage and extremely unusual flowers.The new growth, stems and small, heavily bullate ovate leaves are covered with a thick coating of red-brown indumentum.The whole plant is remarkably furry and indeed, at the bottom of each flower, the ovary itself is covered with a prominent tuft of long red-brown hairs.The flowers, though relatively small, are quite large in scale with the rest of the plant.They are deep yellow and like a flattened bell in shape.Very interesting growth habit as well.As seen in the wild, most plants were either prostrate on the sides of boulders or grew with long hanging stems from the crotches of trees.Until we found this species in 1997 along the NW Yunnan/Burma border, it was known in cultivation from only one clone (KW#9254 – collected in 1931) grown and distributed by Glendoick Nurseries of Scotland.This new collection has a much thicker and deeper colored indumentum and bigger, deeper yellow flowers than the old clone.Not the easiest thing to grow but fine if provided with excellent drainage (use vireya or orchid mix for example).Native to NW Yunnan and SE Tibet and N Burma where it occurs as an epiphyte or on cliffs and rocks from 6,000 to 10,000 ft.
1998sd387CCHH#8106:RSBG(+10?\R2\3).Grown from my collection of seed at 6,650 ft. on the Salween/Irrawaddy divide.Stunning foliage and fuzzy white new growth on these seedlings.Yellow flowers in the shape of a flattened bell.A choice collector’s plant closely related to R. edgeworthii.a very attractive epiphytic species requiring excellent drainage.Try a moss-lined basket moved into protection during extreme cold snaps.Beautiful!Superb!
GR#9712These are large blooming-size plants grown from seed collected in 1997 on the CCHH Expedition by Garratt Richardson at 8,850 ft. on the Salween\Irrawaddy divide, NW Yunnan. A beautiful foliage species.(+10?\R2\3) RSBG
