Luzula picta A.Rich. var. picta
Type locality: Astrolabe Bay. Type: P, Dumont D'Urville, 1827.
Flowering stems (3)–8–25–(55) cm. long. Infl. of 2–10-fld clusters, all ± equal, c. 5 mm. across, peduncles 1–3–(5) cm. long, sometimes branched secondarily. Tepals lanceolate, acuminate, with a very conspicuous, narrow, dark brown central stripe contrasting with the white membr. margin. Capsule < tepals, pale brown. 2n = 12.
DIST.: N., S. Southwards to lat. 44º, mainly on the western side, rare in Marlborough, except in the Sounds, and spreading into Canterbury and Otago in some places.
In dry ground on forest margins, in scrub, along river banks or on river flats, from sea level to 1,400 m. altitude.
Specimens from North Id, and from Nelson and the Marlborough Sounds are in general easily recognised by their flaccid habit, few narrow lvs and the acuminate tepals with a distinct, narrow, central brown stripe. Specimens from southern South Id with shorter, less acuminate tepals with a broader, paler central stripe can be distinguished from var. limosa only by the lvs being ± = culms, and by the more ∞ infl.-branches.
