Colobanthus Bartl.
Fls hermaphrodite, solitary. Sepals 4-5 free; petals 0; stamens as many as sepals and alternating with them; ovary 1-celled, styles as many as sepals, free to base; capsule opening by as many teeth as there are sepals; seeds ∞.Small, densely lfy, glab. herbs, lvs narrow, opp., connate at base, exstipulate. Mostly with strong tap root. A southern genus of more than 20 spp. known from Australia, Tasmania, Kerguelen Is, S. America, Falkland Is, S. Georgia, and extending to Antarctica. Of the 13 N.Z. spp. all but 2 are endemic.
Key
4
Lvs oblong, mucronate; sepals broad, obtuse, definitely > capsule; seeds with sharply pointed papillae
Lvs various; sepals either acute to acicular or else < capsule; seeds with low rounded papillae only
5
Branches much longer than lvs and little overtopped by them; lvs imbricated, evenly spaced up stem, lamina us. < 7 mm. long; sepals stiff; peduncles mostly hidden
Branches us. short, much exceeded by lvs; lvs in terminal tufts or rosettes, us. > 10 mm. long; sepals at least partly membr.; ped- uncles mostly obvious
7
Lvs densely imbricated, 2-3 mm. long, not strongly bordered when dry, colourless (us. long) acicula sharply distinct from obtuse lf-tip
Lvs spreading, longer, strongly bordered when dry, thickened borders merging into short acicular tip
9
Lvs > 5 mm. long, acicular tip very long; sepals much > mature capsule, evenly rounded on back without distinct midrib
Lvs 4-5 mm. long, acicular tip short; sepals not much > mature capsule, with thickened midrib
Sepals narrow, at least above, clearly apiculate to acicular-tipped, = or > capsule; lvs apiculate to acicular-tipped
11
Sepals = or little > capsule, apiculate to shortly acicular-tipped; lvs apiculate (apicula < adjacent If width)
Sepals definitely > capsule, short to long acicular-tipped; lvs long acicular-tipped (acicula > adjacent If width)
12
Lvs flattened, recurved, channelled when dry, sharply contracted to acicula; sepals up to 11/2 × capsule length, suddenly contracted to short acicula; mostly coastal
Lvs narrow, strict, erect, gradually tapering to acicula; sepals up to 2 × capsule length, tapering to long acicula; mostly inland
![Fig. 9. COLOBANTHUS. Open capsule within persistent calyx; leaf-tip. Habit sketch of long-branched plant, peduncles hidden. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X1V]](https://data.landcareresearch.co.nz/Image/4X1V/SysPortalPreview)
Fig. 9. COLOBANTHUS. Open capsule within persistent calyx; leaf-tip. Habit sketch of long-branched plant, peduncles hidden. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X1V]
![Fig. 10. COLOBANTHUS. Open capsule within persistent calyx; leaf-tip. Habit sketch of rosette plant, peduncle obvious. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X0S]](https://data.landcareresearch.co.nz/Image/4X0S/SysPortalPreview)
Fig. 10. COLOBANTHUS. Open capsule within persistent calyx; leaf-tip. Habit sketch of rosette plant, peduncle obvious. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X0S]
