Flora of New Zealand Series

G. brevicaule Hook. in J. Bot. 1, 1834, 252.

Stock very stout, up to c. 1 cm. diam., multicipital, branches up to ± 6 cm. long, clad in persistent lf-bases and stipules. Lvs in rosettes at tips of stock branches, on slender, densely retrorsely hairy petioles up to ± 6 cm. long. Lamina up to ± 15 mm. diam., rather densely clad in appressed hairs giving the surface a greyish colour, irregularly 3-5-7-lobed and again ± crenately toothed. Peduncles us. 1-fld, 2-3 cm. long, at first densely retrorsely hairy. Sepals ± 5 mm. long, oblong to ovate, obtuse, awned, densely clad in appressed hairs; petals ± 6 mm. long, white; carpels ± 10 mm. long, including beak. Seeds ± 2 mm. long, smooth.

DIST.: S. Coastal Otago and Fiordland. St. On sand dunes. Type locality of var. arenarium Simpson et Thomson: Paterson's Inlet, Stewart Id. Type of G. brevicaule Hook. : K, "Chalky Bay, Lyall."

The above description is drawn up from specimens collected by myself at Fisherman's Bay, Chalky Inlet (BD 76192 H. H. Allan) which match the type of G. brevicaule Hook. Kirk's herbarium in W has a similar specimen labelled "var. sericea, Dog Island, T. Kirk, Jan. 1884, 1011-646".

I have not seen Stewart Id specimens, but Simpson and Thomson's description agrees in essentials with mine. The type specimen, from Paterson's Inlet, Stewart Id, is stated to be in BD, but has not been located. Cockayne (Rep. Bot. Surv. St. Id 1909, 55) refers to the plant of Stewart Id under G. sessiliflorum as "Confined to dunes. Much more robust, pilose, and branching than the type [var. glabrum ?]. Leaves somewhat glaucous, never dark-coloured . . . Also on dunes coast of Foveaux Strait . . . If constant from seed it should have a name". Further study is desirable.