Flora of New Zealand Series

Slightly woody herb up to 40 cm tall, much-branched, forming clumps. Stems glabrous, or with few small strigillose hairs at junction of petiole margins. Lamina of lf narrowly-elliptic to elliptic, 1.3-2.6 × 0.4-0.8 cm. Floral tube 0.8-1.2 mm deep, glabrous. Petals white, flushed pink after pollination, 6.7-7.4 × 3.8-4.6 mm. Capsule glabrous, 2-3.8 cm long; fruiting pedicel 0.2-1 cm long.

S.: Marlborough (from the Awatere to the Waiau), Canterbury (Arthur's Pass, Torlesse Range), 300-1200 m.

Endemic.

Rare and local, on steep exposed rocky faces, often in river gorges.

FL Dec-Jan.

E. brevipes has a distinctive lf with a glossy almost leathery lamina usually flushed with red. From the related E. crassum it is distinguished by the uppermost lvs being alternate rather than opposite.