Flora of New Zealand Series

Small, creeping, densely matted, much-branched shrublet. Branchlets erect, leafy, c. 3-(5) cm long, densely and very minutely puberulous. Lvs fairly close, alternate, 3-7 × 2-4 mm, suborbicular, elliptic or elliptic-oblong, very thick and coriaceous, almost entire, glabrous; veins conspicuous. Fls axillary, solitary. Pedicels < 1 mm long, minutely puberulous, with 2-4 bracts at base. Bracts broadly ovate, glabrous or almost so. Calyx lobes glabrous. Corolla sparingly hairy inside. Stamens = style; filaments c. 2 mm long, ribbon-like, gradually expanding towards base, not papillose. Anthers 0.5-0.6 mm long, awnless. Fr. a berry, c. 5 mm long, globose, remaining ± green.

N.: N.W. Ruahine Range at c. 1800 m; S.: Southern Alps above 1200 m, mostly on western side, also recorded from Rock and Pillar Range, Otago.

Endemic.

Alpine grassland, short turf and fellfield.