Flora of New Zealand Series

Small hairy annual; roots all fibrous. Stems slender, 5-10 cm tall. Lvs all similar, broader than long, thin, 3-5-lobed to c. 3/4 way, 5-10 × 7-15 mm; lobes ovate, acute, entire; petioles 1-2 cm long. Fls 1-5 per stem, 2-3 mm diam., mostly sessile, lf-opposed, the lowermost sometimes on short pedicel 3-5 mm long. Sepals 3-4, 1-2 mm long. Petals 1-2, pale yellow, < sepals; nectary single, 0.5-1 mm from petal base, covered by an obtuse scale. Receptacle glabrous. Achenes (1)-3-6, weakly flattened, bordered, elliptic; body 1-1.5 × 1-1.3 mm; face covered with short hooked spines; beak abruptly tapered, somewhat hooked at tip, c. 0.5 mm long.

N.: Mercury Is, Rangitoto Id, Auckland; S.: Christchurch.

Australia 1852

Bare soil in waste land, lawns.

This sp. has also been referred to in N.Z. as R. australis, R. collinus, R. parviflorus var. australis, and R. pumilio.