Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: Stewart Id. Type: CHR, 12685, T. Kirk.

Lvs 3–8 mm. wide, rigid, us. erect. Flowering stems (6)–12–30–(40) cm. tall, > lvs at maturity. Infl. of several pedunculate clusters or occ. a ± compact head, clusters us. c. 10 × 10 mm., peduncles subequal, 1–3 cm. long; subtending bracts 2–9, rigid, > infl., the longest up to 3 times length of infl. Fls us. > 3 mm. long; tepals with light brown, rarely dark brown centre and cream, membr. margins. Capsule pale brown. 2n = 12.

DIST.: S. Southwards from Dunedin, us. not far from the coast. St., Ch., A.

On rock outcrops, in pakihi or on edges of swamps or lagoons.

This var. is similar to  var. banksiana and occurs in similar habitats, though much further south. Plants are larger than those of  var. banksiana, the infl. is us. composed of several heads subtended by many, rigid, erect bracts, or if composed of a single cluster it is us. dark brown and not silver-white as in  var. banksiana.