Flora of New Zealand Series

Stems to c. 2 mm diam., forming dense masses, greenish, densely hairy, the hairs ferruginous when young. Scale lvs 1-1.5 mm long, ± ovate, with ferruginous tomentum. Spikes simple, 5-15 mm long; fls mostly crowded, but lower fls sometimes distant, subsessile or nearly so; rachis with ferruginous tomentum. Bracts c. 1 mm long, ovate. Outer perianth segments similar to bracts; inner segments c. 2 mm long, oblong. Stamens included; outer filaments of outer whorl broadly winged. Style < stamens, hairy. Fr. 5-6 mm diam., globular, remaining greenish, tomentose. Seed flattened, striate.

N.: known from Waipoua Forest (N. Auckland) only.

Australia 1961

Mainly parasitising Leptospermum and Dracophyllum spp., but also grasses, rushes, and pines.

FL Dec-Feb.

C. pubescens was presumably introduced to N.Z. with tree stocks, but it is just possible that the sp. is indigenous here. It is widespread in Australia. This and the following sp. were united by Weber, J. Z., J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 3: 187-262 (1981). His arguments are not entirely convincing. Also, because the 2 taxa are easily recognisable in N.Z. their separation is maintained here.