Flora of New Zealand Series

Slender herb with numerous stems arising from the loosely rhizomatous rootcrown. Stems 7-30 cm tall, densely covered with ± appressed hairs. Lamina of lf narrowly elliptic, 8-22 × 2.5-6 mm. Infl. nodding in bud. Floral tube 0.6-0.9 mm deep, densely strigillose. Petals white, 2.8-4.5 × 1.5-3.4 mm. Capsule 2-2.5 cm long, densely grey-strigillose; fruiting pedicel 0.2-0.7 cm long.

S.: scattered throughout, mostly E. of the Main Divide.

Endemic.

Forest margins, often in dry rocky places, 100-900 m.

FL Dec-Apr.

The distinctive mottled grey-green and darker bluish green upper surface of the lf readily distinguishes this sp. from any other in N.Z.