Flora of New Zealand Series

Rostkovia gracilis Hook. f. Fl. Antarct.  1,  1844,  83, t. 47.

Juncus hookeridis Steud. Syn. Pl. glum.  2,  1855,  307.

Rostkovia novae-zelandiae Buchan. in T.N.Z.I.  4,  1872,  227, t. 16.

Marsippospermum gracile (Hook. f.) Buch. var. novae-zelandiae (Buchan.) Buch. in Engl. Bot. Jb.  12,  1890,  69.

Original localities: "Lord Auckland's group and Campbell's Island; amongst rocks and also in marshy places; common at an elevation of 800–1,200 feet." Lectotype: K, "Lord Auckland's Islands. In tufts at the edges of precipices in dry places. At the top of the hill above Rendezvous Harbour," J. D. Hooker, Nov., 1840.

Densely tufted. Rhizome c. 5 mm. diam., us. horizontal in plants from South Id, and ascending in plants from Auckland and Campbell Is. Stems (8)–12–30–(40) cm. × c. 0.5 mm., very closely crowded on the rhizome; basal bracts , reddish brown, the upper conspicuously mucronate. Lvs ± = or much > flowering stems, slightly < 1 mm. wide, terete, rigid, striated, bright green, shining. Fl. 1.5–3 cm. long; single subtending bract inconspicuous, < 3 mm. long, membr., pale cream, tip obtuse. Tepals 6, unequal, linear-subulate, acute, pale brown with membr. margin. Stamens 6, c. ⅔ length of mature capsule; anthers much > filaments, connective apiculate. Capsule c. ½ length of tepals, linear-oblong, coriac., chestnut-brown, mucronate, dehiscing longitudinally towards the apex. Seeds c. 2.5 mm. long, oblong-elliptical, straw-coloured, shining, tails white, unequal in length.

DIST.: S. Moist sites in alpine herbfield, 1,300–2,100 m. altitude. A., C.

Abundant in rocky and marshy places between 150–400 m. altitude.

FL. 12–2. FT. 1–3.

Juncus hookeridis : Steudel cited R. gracilis Hook. f. as a synonym.

R. novae-zelandiae Buchan was based on plants "collected by H. H. Travers, on the Nelson mountains, at an altitude of 3,000 feet; and by Dr Haast, on the mountains of Canterbury," and described in the belief that plants from the Auckland Is always had one long lf on each stem while South Id plants had 3 shorter lvs. Later Kirk (T.N.Z.I. 10, 1878, p. xli) noted that Buchanan and he agreed that R. novae-zelandiae should be referred to R. gracilis. Both Travers and Haast specimens are at K, the latter is labelled R. magellanica.