Flora of New Zealand Series

Perennial herb or subshrub. Stems to c. 1 m tall, decumbent to erect, freely branching, 4-angled, glabrous or scabrid. Lvs opposite. Petiole (0.2)-0.5-1.7-(3) cm long. Lamina (1.2)-1.5-7-(9) × (0.3)-0.5-2.5- (3.5) cm, lanceolate to elliptic or oblong-elliptic ( subsp. erecta), orbicular to broad-ovate ( subsp. cartilaginea), strongly serrate with teeth to 4 mm long, glabrous or scabridulous; lateral veins obscure; base cuneate to truncate. Dichasia of 3-7 fls; primary bracts ± serrate. Pedicels 0.5-0.6 mm long, to 1 mm at fruiting, deflexed until anthesis. Fls 4-merous, often reddish. Sepals 0.8-1.2 mm long, deltoid, erect, persistent. Petals 1.5-2-(2.5) mm long. Stamens 8. Anthers 1.2-1.7 mm long, oblong, red or yellow, the inner < outer. Ovary 4-celled, ribbed. Stigmas ± pink. Fr. 1.8-3 × 1.5-2.5-(4) mm (including the usually present, variable, deltoid wings), usually ovoid, rugose or smooth between ribs or wings.

N.; S.; St.; K., Ch.: common and widespread ( subsp. erecta); North Cape Peninsula ( subsp. cartilaginea (Cheeseman) Orch.).

Endemic.

Most common in modified habitats, open disturbed places, particularly roadsides, coastal banks, cut-over forest and plantations, also in waste places.

FL Dec-Feb.

The variation in this sp. was analysed by Forde, M. B., New Zealand J. Bot. 2: 425-453 (1964). H. erecta as described here includes H. colensoi Skottsb. as a synonym and H. cartilaginea Cheeseman as a subsp.; both of these were accepted as spp. by Moore, L. B., in Allan (1961).