Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: Mountains to north of Mt Soaker, Fiordland, open tops. Type: CHR, 94175, M. J. A. Simpson.

Plants c. 2–5 cm. high with lvs spreading to form a close mat rather than a stiff cushion. Stems densely packed. Lvs not obviously distichous; lamina 0.5–1 mm. wide, channelled at the base, abruptly widening to the upper flat portion, abaxial surface rich in stomata and only the median nerve prominent, adaxial surface having no stomata except occ. a few towards the extreme tip or very near to the margin, with 2 lateral nerves prominent and the median nerve occ. evident towards the tip; sheath c. twice width of lamina, 5–7-nerved, without conspicuous auricles. Mature peduncle <, = or rarely > lvs, bearing (1)–2–(3) spikelets. Glumes 3, ± equal, keel stiff and green, sides pale and membr. often tinged with red. Hypog. scales slightly > or = nut, very narrow-linear, white or pale brown. Stamens 3, occ. 2. Nut slightly > 1 mm. long, c. 1 mm. broad, almost flat at the tip with a large depression, obovoid, shortly but distinctly stipitate, light grey.

DIST.: N. Waimarino Plateau. S., St.

On very wet mineral soils in areas of transition between grassland and bog, occ. in cushion bog, (240)–800–1,250 m. altitude.

This sp. was formerly known as O. pumilio R.Br. but differs from the Australian sp. in lf and floral characters (Edgar, op. cit.).

Kükenthal (Fedde Repert. nov. Spec. Regn. veg. 48, 1940, 67) listed (as O. pumilio) a specimen collected by Colenso from mountains near Taupo but this has not been found; the only specimen seen from North Id is WELT 20955, Waimarino Plateau, L. Cockayne 930, 19/12/1905.