Flora of New Zealand Series

alpine strawberry

Low-growing herb with short woody stock, up to c. 15-(25) cm high; runners greenish, pilose, bracteate, up to c. 80 cm long and rooting at nodes and tips to form new rosettes. Basal lvs several in rosette; petiole up to 15-(18) cm long, densely pilose; leaflets ovate to rhombic or elliptic, obtuse to subacute, cuneate at base, ± thin, bright green above and usually sparsely to moderately silky pilose, rarely almost glabrous, paler below and usually silky pilose at least on veins, with margins coarsely serrate in upper 1/2-⅔ and pilose; terminal leaflets (15)-30-60-(90) × (10)-18-40-(50) mm; lateral leaflets slightly smaller; petiolules very short or 0, silky pilose; stipules triangular, 12-20 mm long, reddish brown, ± pilose especially along axis. Scape (30)-60-180-(300) mm tall, ± erect and often arching in upper part, finely pilose; infl. of 1-several fls; pedicels 7-40 mm long; fls 10-18 mm diam. Epicalyx segments narrow, ± entire. Sepals triangular, 4-6-(9) mm long, pilose, ± acuminate, connate at base, deflexed at fruiting. Petals obovate, up to 8 mm long, sometimes only slightly > sepals, rounded, sometimes undulate, spreading, white. Achenes uniformly scattered over and projecting from the receptacle; receptacle usually red, occasionally white, swollen and juicy, sweet, fragrant, obconic, up to 15 × 12 mm.

N.: S. Auckland (Thames), Opotiki, Volcanic Plateau; S.: lowland and foothills in Nelson, Marlborough and Canterbury, Otago (Dunedin), Southland (Deep Cove)

Europe, N. Africa, N. and C. Asia, N. America 1870

Roadsides, wasteland, forest clearings and damp banks up to c. 1000 m.

FL Sep-Apr FT Nov-Apr.