Flora of New Zealand Series

Gaimardia pallida Hook. f. Fl. Antarct.  1,  1844,  86.

Alepyrum pallidum (Hook. f.) Hook. f. Fl. N.Z.  1,  1853,  268, t. 62 C.

Pseudalepyrum pallidum (Hook. f.) Dandy in J. Bot., Lond.  70,  1932,  331.

Type locality: "Campbell's Island; forming small pale-coloured tufts amongst other plants in springy places on the hills". Lectotype: K, Hooker 1622.

Dense, pale or bright green, moss-like cushions. Roots comparatively thick, but < 0.5 mm. diam. Stems 1.5–4 cm. long. Lvs 6–9 mm. long, < 0.5 mm. wide, distichous, equitant at the base, closely imbricate up the stem, lamina stiff, erect, glab., subulate, laterally compressed or occ. channelled, narrowed to an acute or occ. shortly acicular tip; lf-sheaths c. ½ length of lamina, very pale cream, membr., without ligule or auricles. Flowering stems c. = lvs. Floral bracts 2, ± opp., unequal in length, the lower larger. Pseudanthia, 1 in each floral bract, or 1 bract without pseudanthium; ♂ 1 only, in the lowermost pseudanthium, at maturity the filament elongated excessively and the anther far exserted; ♀ 1–3–(4) in each pseudanthium; hyaline scales 0. Seed ± 0.5 mm. long, oblong-obovate, apiculate at one end.

DIST.: N. Central Volcanic Plateau at base of Mts Ruapehu and Tongariro, and in the Ruahines. S. In Otago, Mt Maungatua, Mt Kyeburn; Fiordland. In mountain bogs to 1,500 m. altitude. A. and C., principally on the tops of hills and replaced by C. ciliata at lower altitudes.

FL. 12–1. FT. 1–3.

Hooker regrets in his original description in Fl. Antarct. that he visited Campbell Id so early in the season, hence "Flores valde immaturi tantum mihi visi, inter folia summa omnino occlusi".

Plants from Campbell Id have a slightly greater number of shorter, wider lvs per culm than plants from North and South Is, hence the distichous lf-arrangement is very noticeable in Campbell Id specimens. CHR 117935, Campbell Island, N. slopes Mt Paris in wet situation, E. J. Godley, 11/1/1961, is annotated "strongly distichous lvs give peculiar ridged pattern to surface of cushion". These lf-differences persist in cultivation and a plant from Campbell Id forms brighter green, less humped but more ridged cushions than a plant from Lake Manapouri growing close by.