Flora of New Zealand Series

Lax mat-forming perennial; stems decumbent, to 5 cm tall, glabrous; internodes 1-3 mm long. Lvs paired and sometimes fascicled, ± spreading, linear, glabrous or rarely finely scabrid, shortly acicular, (3)-5-7 × 0.5 mm. Peduncles glabrous, short at flowering, elongating at fruiting to 8-20 mm. Bracts in 2 pairs, broadly deltoid, scarious, keeled, up to 1 mm long. Fls paired. Sepals 5, narrow-triangular, not scarious, at fruiting connivent and c. 1/2 length of the smooth perigynous zone; whole fr. 1.5-2 mm long. Stamen 1, included in calyx.

N.: known only from Maungaharuru Range; S.: Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago, Southland.

Also indigenous to Australia, including Tasmania.

Open grassland from sea level to 1500 m.

FL Nov-Jan-(Mar) FT (Jul)-Dec-Apr-(Jun).